Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), the lead coalition partner in the alliance government in the state, will in all likelihood, do a U-turn from its earlier stated posiiton of contesting the Assembly elections in Bengal and now support the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress, sources in the party have hinted.

Even though the time of filing nominations for the first phase of elections in Bengal will end on Tuesday, March 9, JMM is yet to announce any candidates indicating a change of stance in the wake of many non-BJP parties rallying behind TMC to counter the BJP in Bengal.

The high-octane poll battle, which will take place in eight phases, will kick off from March 27 when voting for the first batch of 30 Assembly seats will take place.

Jungle Mahal seats will go for polls in the first and second phases on March 27 and April 1, and as such, the party has to finalise a list of its candidates for these seats to file nominations latest by March 12.

Of the 30 seats in the first phase, seven are reserved for scheduled tribe (ST), which JMM was eyeing.

Notably, JMM’s working president and Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren had kicked off JMM’s pre-poll campaign from Jhargram on January 29, upsetting Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee.

Two months down the line, JMM seems to have done a U-turn. “In all likelihood, JMM will support TMC and not contest the polls to consolidate anti-BJP votes. More than individual choices, it is time for all non-BJP parties to align together to counter the BJP in the interest of the nation,” said a senior JMM functionary in Ranchi on Monday.

It was only a matter of time before JMM made a formal announcement, he said. Chief minister Hemant has evaded a clear answer when asked about it outside the Assembly on Monday evening. “JMM’s stance for Bengal polls is in the party forum. It will make a formal announcement,” he said.

Significantly, speaking with reporters informally at a hotel on Sunday in Delhi before returning to Ranchi after his two-day visit to woo investors, Hemant had said that he was approached by Bengal CM seeking his support and was also requested to campaign for her. “I have apprised our party chief Shibu Soren on the matter,” he said.