The JMM-Congress-RJD alliance under the INDIA bloc is aiming to present a united front ahead of the Jharkhand Assembly polls while acknowledging “friendly contests” in three key seats.

On Saturday, JMM central general secretary and spokesperson Vinod Pandey told reporters in Ranchi that the ruling coalition was united and denied any difference among allies.

“The coalition is united and there is no difference among any of the allies. Candidates of the alliance have filed nomination based on the broader seat sharing agreement under which JMM will contest in 43 seats, Congress in 30, RJD in six and CPI-ML in three seats. There will be a friendly contest at Dhanwar (between JMM and CPI-ML) while talks are on to ensure there is no splitting of votes in Chhatarpur and Bishrampur seats and things will be clear in a day or two,” said Pandey.

When asked about the last date of withdrawal of nomination for the second phase of poll (November 1) has ended, Pandey said: “Non-withdrawal of nomination hardly matters.”

Sources in Congress hinted that parleys are being held between both RJD and Congress to resolve the issue.

“It is possible that rival candidates (RJD and Congress), though in the fray, will be silent and canvas for the coalition partner candidates in order to avoid splitting of votes and deny advantage to BJP,” said a Congress state level executive committee member based in Ranchi.

RJD had fielded Naresh Prasad Singh from Bishrampur while Congress had fielded a relatively new face Sudhir Kumar Chandravanshi in the same seat giving a distinct edge to BJP’s sitting three-term MLA and former cabinet minister Ramchandra Chandravanshi.

In Chattarpur, former Congress MLA and cabinet minister Radha Krishna Kishore will have to face newcomer Vijay Kumar of RJD and this will give an edge to BJP’s Pushpa Devi.

In the Dhanwar seat, CPI-ML’s former MLA Rajkumar Yadav and JMM’s Nizammuddin Ansari are both locked in contest, giving a distinct advantage to BJP state president and sitting MLA Babulal Marandi.

Congress state president Keshav Mahto told reporters that Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge will hold meetings in Kanke and Mandu Assembly seats on November 5 while MP and the leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, will address rallies at Simdega, Lohardaga on November 8.

RJD state vice-president Anita Yadav reiterated that “despite friendly contests” the alliance is united and strong.

Elections to the Jharkhand Assembly will take place in two phases on November 13 and 20 respectively and counting will be held on
November 23.

JMM spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya claimed that the controversy raised over chief minister Hemant Soren’s age discrepancy in the 2019 and 2024 affidavit is a non-issue.

“The affidavits were filed on the basis of valid age documents and the election commission has accepted the nomination after scrutiny,” said Bhattacharya.