JMM ignores ally Cong’s plea, names its RS pick
RANCHI: The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) on Monday announced Mahua Maji as its candidate for the Rajya Sabha seat from Jharkhand going to polls along with other seats on June 10, turning down a request from ally Congress to allocate it a seat in the Upper House of Parliament.
The announcement came two days after chief minister and JMM executive president Hemant Soren held over an hour-long meeting with Congress president Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi on Saturday over the issue. The Congress, which has 17 legislators in the 81-member assembly is the junior partner in Soren’s coalition government, had requested the JMM to allocate a seat to it.
Addressing reporters at his residence, Soren said the decision on Maji’s name was taken by his father and JMM patriarch Shibu Soren. “After meeting Soniaji, I returned with her message and informed Guruji (Shibu Soren) . We discussed names and finally Guruji decided on Maji,” Soren said.
Maji is set to win as JMM has 30 members in the Assembly, three more than 27 first preference votes required to win the seat.
Maji, a PHD scholar and author, is an old face of the party. A former president of JMM’s Mahila Morcha wing,
Maji has twice contested unsuccessfully on party symbol from Ranchi assembly seat.
The second Rajya Sabha seat in Jharkhand is set to go to BJP, which has fielded its state general secretary Aditya Sahu.
‘Congress not impressed’
The JMM decision has not gone down well with ally Congress.
Jharkhand Congress president Rajesh Thakur said CM Soren’s statements in New Delhi and Ranchi are contradictory. “We have informed our party’s in-charge of Jharkhand, who is likely to meet the high command and come to Ranchi on Tuesday. All I can say is that what the CM said in New Delhi and Ranchi are contrary to each other,” said Thakur.
“Whether we have to support the JMM candidate or not will be decided tomorrow after deliberations with the party leaders, though JMM has the numbers and doesn’t need our support for the Rajya Sabha win. Any decision related to the future of the alliance would be taken as per direction from the high command,” he said.
MAJI, A PHD SCHOLAR AND AUTHOR, IS AN OLD FACE OF THE PARTY