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Tug-of-war over RS seat begins in INDIA bloc, Congress stakes claim to one seat
Of the six Rajya Seats from the state, one is vacant since the death of JMM patriarch Shibu Soren in August last year. The second seat would become vacant in June with completion of the six-year term of BJP MP Deepak Prakash.
With two Rajya Sabha seats up for grabs from Jharkhand in couple of months, fissures seems to be appearing in the ruling INDIA bloc in the state, with Congress staking claim over at least one seat, even as the lead partner Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) eying both the berths in the Upper House of the Parliament.
Of the six Rajya Seats from the state, one is vacant since the death of JMM patriarch Shibu Soren in August last year. The second seat would become vacant in June with completion of the six-year term of BJP MP Deepak Prakash.
Elections for the two seats, if required, is likely to be held in May, people aware of the development said. However, the political temperatures has already started heating up in the state, especially in the INDIA bloc camp with Congress staking claim over one of the two seats.
The INDIA bloc, as a pre-poll alliance, has enough numbers to win both the seats. In the House of 81, any candidate needs supports of 27 members in the Jharkhand Assembly to get elected to the Rajya Sabha. As per the tally of the 2024 Assembly polls, the INDIA bloc has 56 members including 34 of the JMM,16 of the Congress, four of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and two of the CPI-ML(L).
If the alliance constituents arrive at an arrangement, they have two more than support of 54 members required to send two members to Rajya Sabha. However, things would get complicated if the JMM and Congress do not arrive at any arrangement. While the elections are still away, the Congress has stakes claim to at least one seat.
“It is natural for the Congress to stake claim to one seat as we have made our share of sacrifices to keep this coalition intact. During the last RS elections also, we left our claim to one seat due to special circumstances wherein the JMM had sent Sarfaraz Ahmed to Rajya Sabha after he relinquished his Assembly seat for Kalpana Soren ji. This time, we should be getting one seat. We are confident that chief minister Hemant Soren would agree to our demands. There is still time. The central leadership of the two parties that would sit together and decide,” Congress spokesperson Sonal Shanti told HT.
The JMM on the other hand has underlined that being the lead partner in the alliance, it’s the wish of the party workers that both seats should be represented by the party.
“Our leader is the face of this alliance and JMM is in the role of elder brother in the alliance in the state. People have faith in chief minister Hemant Soren, who is the tallest tribal leader in the country. It’s the sentiment of our party workers that JMM should get both the seats. We also are the largest party in the Assembly. So our claim for both the seats is natural. However, all party workers would follow the decision of our party president,”said JMM spokesperson Manoj Pandey.
While the INDIA bloc has already started discussing the possibilities for the upcoming RS elections, the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is at disadvantageous position in terms of numbers in the Assembly, has chosen to remain mum over the issue at this point in time.
However, party insiders say they are watching the developments closely and could take a plunge as per the situation. Against the requirement of 27 members to secure a Rajya Sabha seat in the state, the BJP has 21 members in the Jharkhand Assembly, besides three of its allies including one each of the JDU, LJP(R) and AJSU Party, taking the total tally of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to 24. In the House of 81, JLKM also has one seat besides 56 of INDIA bloc and 24 members of the NDA.
“In case the INDIA bloc is not able to arrive at a consensus, and the Congress and JMM filed candidate for both the seats, the BJP could also field a candidate to fish in the troubled waters. The party is in wait and watch as of now,” a senior BJP leader said.
