Ruling alliance likely to field Ahmed for RS polls

RANCHI: Former Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) legislator Sarfaraz Ahmed is likely to be fielded as the Rajya Sabha candidate of the ruling JMM-Congress-RJD alliance for the upcoming biennial election for two seats in the state on March 21, people close to the development said on Friday.

The two seats are set to be vacated as the terms of Dheeraj Sahu from Congress and Sameer Oraon from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) draw to a close.

As per the election schedule, the nomination deadline is March 11, but the ruling alliance and the Opposition BJP are yet to declare their candidates.

Any candidate needs 27 firstpreference votes to get elected to the Upper House of the Parliament.

According to the people, going by the numbers stacked in the assembly (81 seats), both sides are likely to win a seat each. While JMM has 29 legislators in the House, the BJP has 26 and the support of at least three legislators of ally AJSU Party.

Insiders in the ruling establishment said the decision to field Sarfaraz has been arrived at, and he has also purchased the nomination papers.

“The name of Sarfaraz was in the reckoning ever since he vacated his assembly seat last year. His name could be announced anytime. The message needs to go out and clear that people who are loyal to the party ultimately are honoured,” said a senior JMM leader.

In January this year, Ahmed resigned as the MLA from the Gandey assembly constituency.

Ahmed, who was twice elected to the state assembly from the Congress in the past, in 1980 and 2009, switched over to the JMM ahead of the 2019 assembly elections and won from his home constituency of Gandey.

Meanwhile, according to a news agency, the BJP is considering nominating Mumbaibased entrepreneur Harihar Mahapatra for the upcoming 2024 Rajya Sabha elections representing Jharkhand.

On December 31, 2023, Sarfaraz vacated the Gandey assembly seat potentially to clear the path for a member of the Soren family to contest from the constituency in anticipation of Hemant Soren’s possible arrest.

However, the situation did not arise, as Champai Soren was chosen as Hemant’s successor after his arrest.

Meanwhile, people close to the matter said Mumbai-based businessman Harihar Mahapatra has also acquired the necessary forms to become a candidate in the Rajya Sabha polls.

However, it was yet not clear whether he would contest as an independent or would be backed by any party.

AS PER ELECTION SCHEDULE, THE NOMINATION DEADLINE IS MARCH 11, BUT THE RULING ALLIANCE AND THE OPPOSITION BJP ARE YET TO DECLARE THEIR CANDIDATES