Ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), led by former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, has announced it will contest the polls independently, dealing a potential blow to the INDIA bloc, particularly the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).
The JMM has declared that it will field candidates on six seats in Bihar: Chakai, Dhamdaha, Katoria, Pirpainti, Manihari, and Jamui. This decision comes amid ongoing seat-sharing discussions within the opposition alliance, and is seen as a setback for the Mahagathbandhan, of which JMM was expected to be a part.
JMM General Secretary and Spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya stated that the party has decided to contest six seats independently in the Bihar elections. He explained that JMM reached out to all Mahagathbandhan constituent parties—RJD, Congress, and especially RJD, the largest regional party—regarding their identified seats where their workers have long opposed the JDU-BJP alliance. Bhattacharya highlighted JMM's past support for RJD and Congress in Jharkhand during the 2019 elections, where they had ceded seats and only one winning candidate from Chatra was given a ministerial post for five years. Even after the 2024 elections,
JMM allocated six seats to RJD and secured a significant position for one of RJD’s winning candidates in the current cabinet. He confirmed that JMM will field candidates from Dhamdaha, Chakai, Katoria, Manihari, Jamui, and Pirpainti in Bihar.
Talks with RJD fell through
Earlier, Jharkhand Minister Sudivya Kumar Sonu had stated that JMM had communicated its interest in contesting specific seats in Bihar to RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav. The matter was reportedly discussed in a recent meeting held in Patna, where JMM emphasised the potential benefits of its participation within the INDIA alliance, especially in terms of vote consolidation in tribal and border regions.
Sonu revealed that during a coalition meeting on October 6, it was decided that Hemant Soren and Tejashwi Yadav would hold further discussions to finalise JMM’s role. However, with no agreement reached, JMM has now opted to go solo.
Focus on stronghold areas
The JMM is expected to leverage its influence in areas close to the Jharkhand border, particularly in tribal-dominated constituencies. Minister Sonu also highlighted the importance of the upcoming by-election in Ghatshila (Jharkhand), scheduled for November 11, calling it a traditional JMM stronghold.
Bihar will vote in two phases — on November 6 and 11, with counting scheduled for November 14. As the Mahagathbandhan finalises its candidates, it remains to be seen how JMM’s independent foray will impact alliance dynamics and seat calculations in the coming days.
