E-Paper
Jharkhand polls: Seat formula yet to be finalised, INDIA parties name candidates
While the Congress declared candidates for 21 seats late Monday night, the CPI-ML named candidates for three seats including Nirsa, Dhanwar and Sindri
The INDIA bloc parties are yet to finalise its seat sharing formula for the Jharkhand assembly elections even though the alliance constituents have started giving tickets to their candidates on certain seats.
With stalemate over seats sharing being far from over and the last date for nominations of the first phase polling ends on October 25, insiders across parties in the alliance did not rule out “friendly fight” on a few assembly seats.
While the Congress declared candidates for 21 seats late Monday night, the CPI-ML named candidates for three seats including Nirsa, Dhanwar and Sindri. The lead constituent in the ruling alliance, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) is yet to release the official list of candidates, but its four candidates have already filed nominations.
Also Read | Jharkhand polls: 15 lawmakers retained as Congress releases 1st candidates list
Chief minister Hemant Soren attended nomination rallies of his candidates in Garhwa and Bhawnathpur on Monday and in Ichagarh on Tuesday. The fourth constituent of the alliance, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has neither released its list of candidates, nor has any of their candidate filed nomination.
“The final deal has not been locked yet. But since time is running out it seems even our list would be out either tonight or Wednesday morning. Symbols have also been given to a few candidates who are set to contest,” a senior RJD leader said, requesting anonymity.
Also Read | ‘Won’t sabotage INDIA's prospects': RJD on contesting Jharkhand polls alone
The Congress, meanwhile, released its first list of 21 candidates late Monday light which include 15 sitting legislators including the four ministers in the Hemant Soren-led JMM-Congress-RJD government in the state.
The Congress party has 17 legislators in the outgoing Jharkhand assembly. The released list includes the names of 15 legislators. Names from seats represented by two other legislators – Alamgir Alam (Pakur) and Uma Shankar Akela (Barhi) – was on hold. Party leaders said the second list would be released soon.
“We will be contesting 30 seats. That is confirmed. The second list would be released soon. In Pakur, son of Alamgir Alam is likely to get party ticket,” Jharkhand Congress chief Keshav Mahto Kamlesh told reporters after returning from Delhi after attending the central election committee meeting.
Chief minister Hemant Soren had last week declared that the JMM and Congress would together contest 70 seats in the 81-member Jharkhand assembly, while the rest 11 would be distributed between RJD and CPI-ML.
