JMM to review alliance with Congress, RJD in Jharkhand following Bihar Assembly elections

RANCHI: Days after Mahagathbandhans rout in Bihar Assembly polls, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) is now mulling to review of the alliance with Congress and RJD in Jharkhand. The RJD and Congress did not coordinate with the JMM during the Bihar Assembly elections; both parties underestimated the JMM, said JMM General Secretary Vinod Pandey. Notably, despite being a key coalition partner in the Bihar Assembly elections, the RJD did not concede a single seat to the JMM, and Congress remained silent on the issue, too. JMM drops out of Bihar polls; blames 'political conspiracy' by Congress-RJD for decision Later, JMM decided not to contest the assembly elections in Bihar, claiming that the decision was taken in the wake of a political conspiracy by its allies RJD and Congress, which deprived it of seats. Initially, JMM was willing to contest on 16 seats, but later the party said that it would contest on 12 seats, close to the polls, they were ready to settle for merely six seats, but it was denied by the Congress and RJD. Notably, Bihar Assembly elections have sent ripples through Jharkhands political landscape, prompting Congress and the RJD to act swiftly to manage potential fallout within the states ruling coalition. In the present scenario, JMM has five ministers, including Chief Minister Hemant Soren, while one JMM seat remains vacant due to the demise of Ramdas Soren. Congress, on the other hand, has four ministers, and RJD has one minister -- Sanjay Prasad Yadav. The 81-member Jharkhand Assembly requires 41 seats for a majority. The ruling coalition currently comprises JMM with 34 seats, Congress 16, RJD 4, and CPI(M-L) 2, totalling 56 seats, 15 above the majority mark. Even without RJD, the government would retain 52 seats, comfortably above the majority mark. However, analysts caution that any move against Congress could trigger instability.