Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has declared its decision to contest the upcoming Bihar assembly elections independently, fielding candidates in six seats. This announcement was made on Saturday by JMM general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya during a press conference. The party's candidates will contest in Chakai, Dhamdaha, Katoria (ST), Manihari (ST), Jamui, and Pirpainti (SC). These seats are scheduled for voting in the second phase on November 11, with the overall elections for the 243-member Bihar assembly taking place on November 6 and 11, and vote counting set for November 14.
The JMM's decision comes after the opposition alliance, known as the Mahagathbandhan, which includes the Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), failed to reach a seat-sharing agreement with the party. Bhattacharya noted that the JMM had requested a total of 12 seats from the INDIA bloc and had set a deadline of October 14 for a response. He stated, "We had urged constituents of the INDIA bloc like the Congress, Left parties and the RJD to provide the seats demanded by the JMM."
Bhattacharya also commented on the political landscape in Bihar, describing it as a multi-cornered contest marked by internal divisions within both the NDA and the INDIA bloc. He expressed confidence in the JMM's ability to influence the formation of the government in Bihar, asserting, "We will fight, win and make sure that without the JMM, no government is formed in Bihar."
In preparation for the elections, the JMM has announced a list of 20 star campaigners, led by its president and Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren. Other notable campaigners include Kalpana Soren, Basant Soren, and senior leaders Stephen Marandi and Sarfaraj Ahmed. The JMM plans to reassess its coalition with the Congress and RJD in Jharkhand after the Bihar elections, indicating a potential shift in its political strategy depending on the outcomes of the polls.