INDIA bloc finalises Jharkhand seat-sharing deal, Hemant Soren's JMM gets 43

As per the seat-sharing agreement, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha will contest on 43 seats, Congress on 30 and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on six. While the Left parties have got seats in assembly polls.

In Short

• Congress will contest on 30 seats in Jharkhand polls
• Lal Yadav's RJD and left parties will contest on six and three seats respectively
• Jharkhand will go to polls in two phases and vote counting will be on November 23

The Opposition's INDIA bloc on Saturday finalised its seat-sharing formula for the upcoming Jharkhand Assembly elections.

As per the agreement, the Chief Minister Hemant Soren-led Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) will contest on 43 seats, while the Congress will field candidates on 30 seats. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) will contest on six seats, and Left parties will field candidates on three seats, which include Nirsa, Sindri and Bagodar.

There will be a friendly contest among the candidates of the INDIA bloc on Dhanwar, Chatrapur and Vishrampur Assembly seats, as per the seat-sharing formula.

In the Dhanwar seat, the BJP has pitted its senior leader and former MP, Babulal Marandi.

"JMM, Congress, RJD and CPI-ML are jointly contesting the Jharkhand polls under INDIA bloc. Excluding three seats – Chhatarpur, Bishrampur and Dhanwar — seat-sharing arrangements have been settled for all the constituencies in the alliance. The JMM has decided to go for a friendly contest with CPI-ML in Dhanwar seat," JMM general secretary Vinod Pandey told reporters.

However, INDIA bloc has not yet officially declared their seat-sharing arrangements.

The election to the 82-member assembly in Jharkhand will take place in two phases on November 13 and 20, and the counting of votes will take place on November 23.

The JMM has already released its first list of candidates with Chief Minister Hemant Soren contesting the Barhet Assembly seat, while his wife Kalpana Murmu Soren is contesting from the Gandey Assembly constituency.

Soren had earlier said that the INDIA bloc will contest the upcoming assembly polls together and the Congress and the JMM will field candidates in 70 of 81 seats.

Earlier in the day, Soren requested the Centre to clear Rs 1.36 lakh-crore coal dues to the tribal-dominated state.

"The PM and the home minister are coming to Jharkhand. I once again request them with folded hands to clear the outstanding (coal dues) of Rs 1.36 lakh crore to Jharkhandis. This amount is crucial for Jharkhand," Soren posted on X.

He also appealed to BJP MPs to facilitate clearance of the amount.

"I would also appeal to my BJP colleagues, especially the MPs, to help Jharkhandis in getting our dues," Soren posted on X.

His request for coal dues came ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to the poll-bound state.