Rift in Jharkhand NDA, AJSU fields candidate against BJP State Chief

NDA in Jharkhand is headed for a split, as the AJSU party has announced the candidature of Ramlal Munda, against state BJP President, Laxman Giluwa from Chakradharpur assembly constituency. AJSU has been demanding 17 out of 81 seats from the BJP. Since there is a deadlock between both the alliance partner over seat-sharing, AJSU announced its, first list of 12 candidates, which includes candidates for 4 assembly constituencies namely Simaria, Chakradharpur, Sindri, and Mandu, for which its senior ally BJP  has already announced its candidates.

AJSU demands more seats for the upcoming elections 

AJSU which contested on 8 seats, in 2014 assembly election is demanding more seats this time. AJSU President, Sudesh Mahto had also gone to Delhi to meet BJP President Amit Shah, but the meeting was not fruitful. Mahto had earlier stated that "This time we are not going to compromise with fewer seats, last election we had sacrificed for a stable government."

'The party will not compromise with its policies'

Announcing the list of candidates for 12 assembly constituency, AJSU Spokesperson, Dev Sharan Bhagat said, "The party will not compromise with its policies and its vote base. BJP has released its first list so have we. We have demanded 17 seats out of 81 to contest." Sources say that the BJP is not willing to concede more than 12 seats to the AJSU, because it has to accommodate,11 turncoat MLAs who have joined the BJP. Jharkhand BJP co-in charge and Bihar minister Nandkishore Yadav said, "Talks are on and we are trying to resolve the issue."

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BJP has already announced names of 52 candidates denying tickets to 10 sitting legislators and the AJSU has announced its candidates for 12 seats. Yet, there seems to be a lack of clarity over seat-sharing among the two alliance partners of 19 years, even as only a day (November 13) is left for the filing of nominations, for the first phase of polls to be held on November 30. BJP is yet to come to terms with its differences with Shiv Sena in Maharashtra and if it loses one of its oldest ally AJSU in Jharkhand, it is going to be a huge blow for the BJPs fortune in Jharkhand assembly election.

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