Opposition grand alliance announcement awaited in Jharkhand

Ranchi: The formal announcement of a grand alliance of opposition parties to take on the ruling BJP has yet to take place. Jharkhand
Mukti Morcha (JMM) Executive president Hemant Soren had met Congress president Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on March 16 and
he had said that the formal announcement of the grand alliance would take place after Holi. The opposition parties which have joined
hands include- Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Congress, RJD, JVM-P of Babulal Marandi. The CPI has also requested the opposition parties to make it part of the grand alliance. 

The sources in the Congress say that CPI was not part of the initial planned grand alliance. JMM now wants that the Congress should give Hazaribagh Lok Sabha seat to CPI. IN 2004, CPI was part of the grand and it’s candidate Bhuneshwar Mehta had defeated senior BJP leader and then External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha. “ As per our initial understanding, Congress was to fight on seven JMM, JVM-P and RJD on four, two and one seats respectively. If the party gives away the Hazaribagh seat then the number will reduce to six” said a source in the Congress to IANS. Sources in the Congress say that the party wants that the left parties should give up their claim and ensure that no candidate from left parties are fielded from any other seats in lieu of Hazaribagh seat. . The Communist Party of India-Marxist Leninist (CPI-ML) has announced to fight from Koderma seat.

The CPI-ML has a strong hold in at least of assembly seats falling under Koderma Lok Sabha seats. “ The final round of talks are likely to take place between Congress and JMM leaders to sort the issues in day or two” said the source. The opposition parties had started the exercise of a grand alliance in January itself but yet to take final shape. The JMM and Congress leaders on record say that the formal announcement will take place in a day or two.