From Solo Plan to Sudden Exit
In a sudden political turn, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has announced that it will not contest the Bihar Assembly elections, just days after declaring its plan to fight independently on six seats. The decision has stirred tensions within the opposition Mahagathbandhan alliance, led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress.
The JMM, headed by Hemant Soren, had earlier planned to contest in Chakai, Dhamdaha, Katoria, Manihari, Jamui, and Pirpainti. The move was seen as a sign of growing unease over seat-sharing talks with its allies. However, the party has now withdrawn from the Bihar race, accusing the RJD and Congress of deliberately sidelining it.
Senior JMM leader Sudivya Kumar said that both allies had shown “political arrogance” and engaged in a “conspiracy” to deny JMM its fair share. He added that the alliance in Jharkhand would now be reviewed, hinting at possible future political changes in the state.
Alliance Strains in Jharkhand
According to JMM leaders, the party feels deeply betrayed by its allies. In Jharkhand, JMM had earlier given several seats to the RJD and even included its leaders in the state cabinet. But in Bihar, it claims that the RJD and Congress refused to offer any reciprocal respect. The JMM had set an October 15 deadline for receiving a “respectable number” of seats but decided to pull out when no agreement was reached.
The party has also announced that it will not campaign for the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar. This move could weaken the opposition unity just as the NDA has already finalized its seat-sharing plan. Political observers believe JMM’s withdrawal could reshape alliances, especially in tribal-dominated regions of Jharkhand, where feelings of representation and respect run deep.
With the nomination deadline closing in, JMM’s exit has left the opposition bloc facing internal cracks — and the real test may now come in Jharkhand, where the party’s next move will be closely watched.
