Jharkhand Assembly Elections: RJD To Support INDI Bloc Candidates Even if Contests Alone

Ranchi: The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has expressed its disappointment with its allies, the Congress and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), over the seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming Jharkhand assembly elections. Despite this, the party has made it clear that it will not sabotage the prospects of the INDI Alliance, even if it decides to contest alone.

RJD MP Manoj Jha stated that the party is not willing to accept less than 12-13 seats, as it has a strong hold on 18-20 seats. He emphasized that the party's sole aim is to defeat the BJP and will extend its support to INDI bloc candidates on 60-62 seats, even if it decides to go solo.

On Saturday, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren announced that his party, JMM, and Congress will contest 70 out of 81 seats. The remaining seats will be contested by other parties in the INDI Alliance, including the RJD and Left parties. This has led to tensions within the alliance, with the RJD feeling that it has been allotted fewer seats than it deserves.

In the previous elections, the RJD contested seven seats and won one seat, with its MLA Satyanand Bhokta currently serving as a minister in the Hemant Soren cabinet. The party is keen to increase its representation in the assembly and is demanding a larger share of seats.

The BJP -led NDA is contesting 68 seats, while Sudesh Mahto's All Jharkhand Students' Union (AJSU) is contesting 10 seats, JD-U is fielding candidates in two seats, and LJP (Ram Vilas) in one seat. The BJP released its first list of 66 candidates on Saturday.

The Jharkhand assembly elections are expected to be a closely contested affair, with the INDI Alliance and the BJP -led NDA locked in a battle for supremacy. The RJD's decision to contest alone may impact the prospects of the INDI Alliance, but the party's commitment to defeating the BJP may yet see it support other alliance candidates. As the elections approach, the political landscape in Jh