Patna — Internal tensions within the Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan) have come to the surface ahead of the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, as the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) announced that it will contest independently after being sidelined in seat-sharing discussions.
Displeased over not receiving its desired share, the JMM declared that it will field candidates in six constituencies — Chakai, Dhamdha, Katoria (ST), Manihari (ST), Jamui, and Pirpainti — all of which will go to polls in the second phase on November 11. These constituencies are located along the Bihar-Jharkhand border.
At a press conference in Ranchi on Saturday, JMM General Secretary and spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya said that the party had sought seven seats within the alliance but was denied all of them.
“We have completed our preparations for the Bihar elections and will contest on six seats. However, we remain hopeful that Grand Alliance leaders will take a final decision soon,” Bhattacharya said.
He clarified that while the JMM has not formally broken away from the Grand Alliance, it cannot wait indefinitely, as the nomination process is already underway.
Bhattacharya also reminded the alliance partners of the JMM’s past cooperation, saying,
“In the 2019 Jharkhand Assembly elections, we gave respectable space to Congress, RJD, and CPI(ML). The RJD got seven seats in Jharkhand and won only one (Chatra), yet its lone MLA was made a minister. Even in the 2024 Assembly elections, RJD was given respectable seats.”
Stressing that the JMM is fully capable of taking on the BJP on its own, Bhattacharya cautioned that disunity within the Grand Alliance could seriously affect its electoral performance.
“We do not want confusion within the alliance. But if our leaders are not part of the campaign in Bihar, the Grand Alliance may face significant losses,” he warned.
The JMM has also released a list of 20 star campaigners for Bihar, led by Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who will spearhead the campaign. Most of the campaigners are members of the Hemant Soren cabinet.
With inputs from IANS