The JMM has missed the 48-hour deadline that it had set to announce the names of candidates for the Lok Sabha polls.

Party spokesperson and general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya, who had on Saturday said that the candidates’ list would be announced within 48 hours, was non-committal on Monday.

“We will intimate you all (the media) whenever the names are announced. Everything is finalised. Please wait for some time,” Bhattacharya said.

Party sources said the JMM think-tank had decided not to hurry with the names and wait till April 3 for the high court’s decision in the Dumri MLA Jagannath Mahto case.

Incidentally, the party is keen on fielding Mahto from Giridih for a direct fight with Ajsu’s Chandra Prakash Chaudhary. The ruling BJP had given the seat to Ajsu as part of a seat-sharing pact.

“While hearing the case on March 25, the high court had stayed the Tenughat civil court order and decided to hear it again on April 3. The party has decided to go slow and make public the names of candidates only after Wednesday’s hearing as otherwise it would have to alter the list if there is any adverse ruling,” said a senior member of the JMM IT cell.

The case against Mahto dates back to 2016 when he was charged for culpable homicide not amounting to murder in connection with the death of Nawadih thana OC Ram Chandra Ram. The police officer was killed on duty on May 14 while trying to control a procession led by the JMM leader on the eve of a Jharkhand bandh called by the party to protest the domicile policy of the government.

Another party general secretary Vinod Pandey, considered close to JMM executive president Hemant Soren, however, did not subscribe to this view.

“It is not true that the names are being held back for the court case. We will be announcing the names of the candidates for Odisha, Bihar, Bengal and Jharkhand soon,” said Pandey.

Another source in the party said Mandu MLA Jai Prakash Bhai Patel would replace Mahto if the high court ruling went against the party.

“If the high court rejects the stay, it would lead to public embarrassment for the party as the next date for hearing in Tenughat court is on April 17 depending on Wednesday’s ruling. The charges have almost been framed against Mahato in the lower court,” the source said.

Giridih goes to polls on May 12 and candidates can file nominations after April 16.