The JMM, which is heading a coalition government in Jharkhand (with the Congress and the RJD), called a meeting of its MLAs and senior leaders on Friday evening to chalk out strategies for Lok Sabha polls even as the rights outfits and civil society groups put forth a suggestion for a Ho candidate in Singhbhum seat.

The meeting, held at the residence of chief minister Champai Soren, was attended by all party MLAs, senior leaders, lone incumbent MP of the JMM from Rajmahal (Vijay Hansda) and Kalpana Soren, wife of jailed former chief minister Hemant Soren.

“The meeting discussed strategies and preparation at booth level to win not only the five seats where our (JMM) candidates will be fielded but also exhibit our support in the remaining nine seats where INDIA bloc candidates ensure that INDIA bloc wins all the 14 Lok Sabha seats in Jharkhand. The meeting also discussed the current socio-political scenario in the state,” said party central general secretary Vinod Pandey.

Incidentally, in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP had won 11 seats while its ally Ajsu had bagged one seat (Giridih). Congress’s Geeta Koda (who switched over to the BJP in February) had won the Singhbhum seat while the JMM had retained the Rajmahal seat.

The JMM has announced candidates for the Giridih (Mathura Mahato) and Dumka (Nalin Soren) seats. There is unanimity in the JMM about fielding incumbent MP Vijay Hansda for Rajmahal. It is expected to announce the candidates for Jamshedpur and Singhbhum seats.

Meanwhile, a delegation of Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan (save democracy campaign-a collective effort of right outfits and social workers in Jharkhand) on Thursday met Jharkhand cabinet minister and Chaibasa MLA Deepak Birua, a prominent Ho tribal leader in Singhbhum.

“We submitted a letter to the minister who is well acquainted with the socio-political scenario of the Singhbhum parliamentary seat and is a three-term MLA from Chaibasa and suggested that a Ho tribal candidate from JMM should be fielded in Singhbhum Lok Sabha seat to challenge BJP’s candidate (Geeta Koda),” said Manthan, a member of the delegation.

A senior Ranchi-based leader in the JMM confided that the party has taken a decision to field a Ho tribal and as of now Kharsawan sitting MLA Dashrath Gagrai is among the leading contenders for the Singhbhum seat.

Incidentally, Dashrath Gagrai is not a Ho tribal but is known for his political acumen having defeated former chief minister and Union minister Arjun Munda from his home constituency Kharsawan in 2014.