Party threatens solo contest but vows not to sabotage INDIA bloc
Key Points:
• RJD insists on minimum 12 seats in Jharkhand assembly polls
• Party may go solo if seat-sharing talks fail, but won’t harm alliance
• RJD claims strong presence in 22 seats, up from 7 in 2019
RANCHI – The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has expressed dissatisfaction with its INDIA bloc allies over seat allocation for the upcoming Jharkhand assembly elections.
RJD Rajya Sabha member Manoj Jha voiced the party’s stance on seat-sharing.
He emphasized that RJD would not accept fewer than 12 seats in the alliance.
However, Jha assured that even if RJD contests independently, it won’t undermine the INDIA bloc’s chances.
The party claims to have strengthened its position in 22 seats since the 2019 elections.
RJD’s leadership, including Lalu Prasad Yadav, remains committed to opposing the BJP.
Jha highlighted RJD’s role as a symbol of opposition to the BJP in the state.
He affirmed the party’s support for Hemant Soren as the Chief Ministerial candidate.
The disagreement stems from a recent seat-sharing announcement made without RJD’s consultation.
This occurred despite Tejaswi Yadav’s presence in Ranchi during the discussions.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Congress state in-charge Ghulam Ahmed Mir met Yadav to address the issue.
RJD leadership expressed disappointment over the handling of seat allocation talks.
The party threatens to announce candidates for 19 seats if an agreement isn’t reached.
Jha stressed RJD’s primary goal of defeating the BJP in the upcoming elections.
The Jharkhand assembly elections are scheduled for November 13 and 20 in two phases.
The INDIA coalition faces direct competition from the BJP-led NDA in the tribal-dominated state.
BJP is contesting 68 seats, with allies AJSU, JD-U, and LJP (Ram Vilas) contesting the rest.
The election results will be declared on November 23, shaping Jharkhand’s political landscape.
