INDIA bloc seat deal for LS elections still not in sight
RANCHI: The deadlock over seat distribution among INDIA bloc allies in Jharkhand for the 14 Lok Sabha elections continues, even as the Congress central election committee on Wednesday brainstormed over candidate selection in New Delhi, people aware of the development said.
People close to the developments in the ruling establishment said the stalemate over seat sharing is largely due to claims and counterclaims by the Congress, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) over two Lok Sabha seats.
“Two rounds of meetings among the constituents have already been done. The announcement of the final formula is stuck largely due to the claim of RJD over two seats, Palamu and Chatra, besides the claim of Congress and JMM over the Lohardaga seat. While Congress leadership wants to give only one seat to RJD, preferably Chatra, Congress is also opposed to JMM’s claim over Lohardaga, reserved for scheduled tribes, a traditional seat of the Congress,” a senior leader aware of the ongoing negotiations said.
While the deadlock over seat distribution continues, insiders said they still have time to iron out differences as elections for the 14 Lok Sabha seats in the state would be held in four phases, with the first four seats going to polls in the fourth phase.
Jharkhand Congress chief Rajesh Thakur, who is in the national capital to attend the CEC meeting, said seat distribution would be finalised in a day or two.
“Everything is on course. An official announcement about seat sharing will be made in a day or two. Candidates’ names would also be announced as soon as the seat distribution is sealed,” said Thakur.
JMM general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya said discussions with Congress leadership have been done “on a seat-by-seat basis”, with thrust being given on winnability.
“Not the number of seats but the guarantee to win the seat is important. We have put forth our stakes as per the ground reality. Congress is a 138-year-old party, and it is them who have to take the final call,” Bhattacharya added.
Party insiders said JMM is interested in contesting six seats, including Rajmahal, Dumka, Jamshedpur, Singhbhum, Giridih, and Lohardaga---two more seats than what it had contested in alliance with Congress in 2019.
With Congress’s MP from Singhbhum Geeta Kora crossing over to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) this time around, reducing the bargaining power of the party, the Congress, however, is not willing to part with Lohardaga, where former state president Sukhdeo Bhagat is a front runner, party insiders said.
Meanwhile, a second person close to the matter said former BJP MP from Giridih, Ravindra Pandey, met Jharkhand Congress in charge Ghulam Ahmed Mir in New Delhi.
Party insiders said Pandey is interested in joining Congress and contesting from the Dhanbad seat.