rjd-ready-for-independent-contest-if-seat-demands-not-met

As tensions grow within the INDIA bloc over seat-sharing arrangements, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has threatened that it might contest the upcoming Jharkhand Assembly elections independently if its seat demands are not met.

RJD National Spokesperson Manoj Kumar Jha stated on Sunday that the party has asked for 18-20 seats but was only offered 4-5, which he described as unacceptable.

"We have communicated our expectations to the INDIA bloc leaders. If our demands are ignored, we will announce candidates for 20 seats soon," Jha said.

He clarified that even if the RJD goes solo, it will not undermine the broader interests of the alliance.

 

Jha urged the Congress and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) to handle the situation with care, considering that Chief Minister Hemant Soren seeks another term.

“We are ready to fully back them in 60-62 seats, but we want to contest where our candidates were runners-up in 2014 and 2019,” he added.

With the nomination deadline approaching, Jha emphasised the need for quick decisions, indicating that further updates might come via phone. He stated that the RJD’s priority is to align with forces capable of defeating the BJP.

While the party would accept 12-13 seats as a compromise, he stressed the need for fairness.

Jha cited the RJD’s consistent fight against the BJP, recalling how it faced political pressure and imprisonment without yielding. He criticized the JMM-Congress seat-sharing plan as unjust.

Without directly naming anyone, he contrasted the clean record of the RJD’s lone MLA, who serves as a minister, with the legal troubles faced by Congress leaders.

"Our track record speaks for itself. In 2019, we contested seven seats and finished as runners-up in five, often by narrow margins," Jha said, highlighting the party’s strong performance despite the legal challenges faced by some allies.

Jha further stressed the RJD's strategic importance in at least 22 constituencies, suggesting that the party plays a pivotal role in the success of JMM and Congress candidates.

Notably, the JMM and Congress have announced plans to contest 70 seats collectively, leaving the RJD and the Left with just 11 seats in the arrangement.