Cong in talks with JMM and JVM

Cong to form a grand alliance for Lok Sabha polls Forge partnerships on a state-by-state basis Also preparing all 81 Assembly seats in Vidhan Sabha polls

New Delhi, July 1: The Congress is in talks with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha to form a grand alliance for the next Lok Sabha polls there, the AICC in-charge of the state has said.

Asserting that the party wants to forge partnerships on a state-by-state basis, AICC in-charge of Jharkhand R.P.N. Singh said Congress chief Rahul Gandhi has made it clear that the Congress would be looking at alliances at state-level with like minded parties to take on the BJP in 2019.

In an interview Singh said a grand alliance was on the cards in Jharkhand for the Lok Sabha polls and talks were on to “firm up things”.

“We are in talks with JMM, we are in talks with JVM. We would like a grand alliance in Jharkhand... with the JMM, JVM, RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) and other like-minded parties. We are in talks with all political parties and those things needed to be firmed up,” the former Union minister said.

He said though talks were on for an alliance, the party was also preparing all 81 Assembly seats as Vidhan Sabha polls were also due next year and it wanted to be ready for elections whether in an alliance or alone.

Underlining that the opposition was united in the state, Singh cited the example of Rajya Sabha polls in Jharkhand where parties such as the JMM, JVM, RJD, Communist party, supported the Congress candidate.

“We spoke to all and reached out to all. We had put up a candidate, even though we had just 7 MLAs. All parties jointly supported us and we managed to win the election against the BJP,” said Singh, who is also a Congress spokesperson.

Asked if the Congress was ready to play second fiddle to regional parties in states, Singh said it has fought on lesser seats than its coalition partners where it is not the largest opposition party, while in states such as Madhya Pradesh it had got larger shares being the leading opposition party.

He said such a “give and take will have to happen”.

Asked if seat-sharing in states could be a roadblock for the grand alliance to materialise, Singh said for a coalition one has to do away with egos.