Bihar polls: JMM to contest six seats after rift with Grand Alliance over seat sharing

Patna, Oct 18 (IANS) Tensions within the Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan) surfaced ahead of the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections after the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) announced it would contest independently.

Disgruntled over its marginalisation in seat-sharing talks, the JMM declared that it will field candidates in six constituencies — Chakai, Dhamdha, Katoria (ST), Manihari (ST), Jamui, and Pirpainti — all of which go to polls in the second phase on November 11. These constituencies are located on the Bihar-Jharkhand border.

Addressing a press conference in Ranchi on Saturday, JMM General Secretary and spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya said the party had been demanding seven seats within the Grand Alliance but received none.

“We have completed our preparations for the Bihar elections and will contest on six seats. However, we are still hopeful that Grand Alliance leaders will announce their decision soon,” Bhattacharya stated.

He clarified that while the JMM has not formally severed ties with the alliance, it cannot wait indefinitely, as the nomination process is already underway.

Bhattacharya also reminded alliance partners that the JMM had been generous during previous seat-sharing negotiations.

“In the 2019 Jharkhand Assembly elections, we gave respectable space to the Congress, RJD, and CPI(ML). The RJD got seven seats in Jharkhand and won only one (Chatra), yet its lone MLA was made a minister. Even in the 2024 Assembly elections, RJD was given respectable seats,” he pointed out.

Emphasising that the JMM is capable of taking on the BJP independently, Bhattacharya cautioned that disunity in the Grand Alliance could damage its electoral prospects.

“We don’t want confusion in the alliance. But if our leaders do not campaign in Bihar, the Grand Alliance may suffer huge losses,” he warned.

The JMM has also released a list of 20 star campaigners for Bihar, with Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren set to lead the campaign. The majority of star campaigners are from the cabinet of the Hemant Soren government.

--IANS

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