Jharkhand Polls: Leaders Busy to Finalise Tickets, Seat-Sharing a Major Issue

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Jharkhand Assembly Polls 2019[/caption] With the announcement of Assembly Polls in Jharkhand, the Congress and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) are struggling to strike a seat-sharing settlement. Before polls, spat of seat-sharing and after results, disagreement over power-sharing are the new trends in Indian democracy. It seems the word 'compromise' has disappeared from the dictionary of the political parties. All of them are sailing in the same boat, aiming to grab power.

Top brass camping in Delhi

As polling date nears in Jharkhand ticket seekers are anxiously running from pillar to post and standing in a long queue in the hope of tickets. All the focus has shifted to the national capital Delhi, where top brass of the leading parties of Jharkhand is camping to finalise candidates lists. Round the clock meetings and heated discussions are in full swing by the different parties.

Congress demands more seats

However, JMM chief Hemant Soren was in Delhi recently; he flew to Ranchi without meeting any senior Congress leaders. JMM is offering 25 seats to Congress in the 81 assembly seats in Jharkhand. The grand old party first demanded to get 32 but might agree on 29 seats.

Dispute on four seats

The conflict between the two allies is going on over four seats, Bishrampur, Sisai, Ghatsila and Gandey assembly constituencies. The BJP emerged victorious in all the four positions during the 2014 polls. However, Congress finished third after JMM in those constituencies. Therefore JMM is eager to fight in those places, seeing its 2014 performance and ready to provide tough fight to the saffron outfit in 2019. Although top brass of both the parties are trying to save the Mahagatbandhan ship from sinking as witnessed in this year's Lok Sabha polls.

Seat pact not finalised

Meanwhile "Soren could agree to give the Congress 27 seats. It is up to Congress to make a decision,". If Congress fights from 27 seats, that leaves JMM with 45 seats and nine seats will be assigned to smaller allies like Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Left parties to contest.

Congress fails to rope in JVM (P)

The other fact is that Congress failed to persuade Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) JVM (P) into the Opposition alliance. Congress offered just eight-ten seats to JVM (P). Its chief and former chief minister of Jharkhand Babulal Marandi did not agree with the Congress' proposal, decided to go it alone in the upcoming assembly polls.

AJSU seems aggressive

On the other side of the court, the same story is hovering in the NDA camp- BJP and its ally AJSU are struggling over seat-sharing pact. At least two seats- Lohardaga and Chandankyari are the bone of contention for both factions. BJP should be extra careful, after the Maharashtra poll results stalemate. AJSU is claiming that both the seats are its traditional bastions. BJP minister Amar Kumar Bauri represents Chandankyari seat.

Seat-sharing spat

AJSU seems to be in a bargaining mood, ready to negotiate on equal footage with the BJP. It must have taken a leaf out of Shiv Sena's book. In 2014 assembly polls BJP and AJSU contested on 72 and eight seats respectively, while one seat was given to LJP. This time AJSU has changed its stance aiming to contest 20-25 seats. The saffron party is in catch 22 situation whether to opt alliance or go alone in the forthcoming polls.

Raghubar provides stable govt

Credit is due to Raghubar Das, the chief minister of mineral-rich state for the first stable government in the state since its formation in the year 2000. He is the first non-Adivasi chief minister apart from this he is originally from Chattisgarh. The BJP has launched door to door poll campaign with the slogan of 'Ghar Ghar Raghubar'.

JD (U) to fight in all seats

It seems politics without a hiccup is just like firing a gun without a bullet. BJP's NDA ally in Bihar JD(U) decision to fight on all the 81seats in the state alone is just like a nightmare for the ruling party in Jharkhand. JD (U) is eager to become a national party. Excellent performance in Jharkhand polls must boost its chance to achieve the goal.

Nomination begins

Nominations for the first of the five-phase polls has started from November 6, it will continue till November 13. A team of Election Commission (EC) met senior government officials and assessed the overall situation of the state and the steps taken by the state government for the upcoming November 30 to December 20 elections. EC team also passed several important instructions to the state officials. Dance of democracy has been started in Jharkhand; another fierce battle is on the card. Opposition has taken one step forward while saffron party two steps back after the unexpected results of the Maharashtra and Haryana assembly polls. The josh of the ruling party is, to a certain extent low, seeing the annoyance of a large section of voters. Ayodhya verdict is not far away, it may work as a Rambaan for the saffron party in the upcoming polls to woo the voters.