The Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan, a coalition of right-wing outfits and social activists in Jharkhand, has urged INDIA bloc leaders in the state to promptly announce seat-sharing arrangements and candidate nominations.
In a missive dispatched to all INDIA bloc leaders, members of the campaign, traversing through the Chatra parliamentary constituency as part of their Yatra, have recommended allocating the Chatra seat to the RJD based on ground-level feedback.
The Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan’s Yatra, aimed to preserve democracy and constitutional principles during the 2024 general elections, aspires to visit all 14 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state through mass contact initiatives, highlighting what they perceive as the Modi government’s purportedly anti-tribal and anti-poor policies.
While the BJP disclosed candidates for 11 Lok Sabha seats in Jharkhand on Saturday, they are yet to announce their candidate for Chatra, currently represented by MP Sunil Singh.
“We previously engaged with Jharkhand Congress president Rajesh Thakur and JMM central general secretary Vinod Pandey earlier this year, emphasising the urgency of announcing seat sharing and candidate names. We have once more communicated with all INDIA bloc parties to promptly establish seat-wise coordination and declare it publicly,” said Elena Horo, a campaign member.
Horo said that based on public demand and electoral history, they proposed party-wise seat alliances in 10 out of the 14 Lok Sabha seats.
“We recommended Congress field candidates in Khunti, Ranchi and Lohardaga, while the JMM contests from Jamshedpur, Singhbhum, Giridih, Dumka and Rajmahal, with the RJD in Chatra and CPI(ML) in Koderma. The campaign persistently urges an immediate announcement of seat-wise alliances,” stated a release issued on Monday.
The campaign contends that in the battle for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, all democracy advocates, organisations and the INDIA parties must unite and launch a collective grassroots struggle on public concerns. Despite numerous meetings with the INDIA alliance, substantial ground action remains elusive. Hence, the campaign reiterated its demands in a
recent letter.
“The campaign remains hopeful that in this fight to safeguard democracy, the INDIA alliance will demonstrate a clear and united commitment against the Modi government’s detrimental policies, to fortify constitutional values and advocate for pro-people legislation,” the release emphasised.
In a separate development, Ghulam Ahmed Mir, Congress general secretary for Jharkhand and Bengal, alongside state party president Rajesh Thakur, will convene meetings in various Lok Sabha constituencies between March 5 and 9.
