Patna: The Janata Dal United (JDU) announced on Wednesday that it will contest the forthcoming Jharkhand Assembly poll as part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), setting aside the speculation about going solo.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s JDU is already a member of the NDA and a part of the alliance government in Bihar and at the Centre. With 12 Lok Sabha seats it is the second biggest ally of the BJP at the Centre after the Telugu Desam Party, which has 16 seats.

“Our party will contest the Jharkhand poll with its full strength as a part of the NDA. Our top leaders will discuss everything with other alliance members and formulate the future strategy. The NDA will form the government there with full majority,” rural development minister and senior JDU leader Sharwan Kumar said in an interaction with media persons.

Considered a close confidant of chief minister and JDU national president Nitish, Sharwan pointed out that their party’s Jharkhand president Khiru Mahto has submitted a list of 11 seats in the 81 member Jharkhand Assembly that could be contested in the election expected to be held towards the end of this year.

“The list is with Nitish Kumar. He will consider everything, discuss seat-sharing with the top leaders of the allied parties. It will be premature to declare the seats out party will contest in Jharkhand. Everything will be clear once seat-sharing is finalised,” Sharwan added.

NDA sources said that the JDU first wanted to contest the Jharkhand poll on its own, but the BJP realised that the election was going to be an important and keenly contested one due to the strong presence of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA).

“At present Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader Hemant Soren is leading the INDIA government in the state. It is well entrenched and it is practical that the NDA challenges it in a united manner,” a senior BJP leader shared with this newspaper.

The BJP’s focus is to keep Nitish in good humour not only because it is a key ally at the Centre, but also that Bihar will also go to poll next year.