Congress, JMM pull out in a bid to salvage alliance

Efforts are on to salvage Cong & JMM alliance in Orissa with both parties agreeing to have 'friendly contests' in Mayurbhanj district.

Efforts are on to salvage the alliance between the Congress and JMM in Orissa with both parties agreeing to have 'friendly contests' in two Assembly constituencies in the Mayurbhanj district.

After both parties had fielded their candidates in nine of the 10 constituencies in the tribal-inhabited district, they have now agreed to pull them out of three seats each, the JMM state president, Sudam Marandi, said here today.

Accordingly, the Congress candidates in the Mayurbhanj parliamentary constituency, Sushila Tiriya and those in Kuliana (ST), Bangiriposhi (ST) and Bahalda (St) seats would withdraw from the fray. The JMM would also pull out its nominees from the Jashipur (ST), Khunta (ST) and Udala (ST) constituencies, Marandi, who had discussion with the JMM chief, Shibu Soren, said.

As the candidature of the JMM nominee at Karanjia (ST) seat had been rejected during scrutiny, the Congress would contest the seat while the JMM would be in the fray in the Baisinga (ST) seat which the Congress had left for the CPI (M) as part of seat adjustment.

The Congress had initially agreed to leave the Mayurbhanj (ST) Lok Sabha seat and three Assembly seats in Mayurbhanj and two in Sundargarh districts.