RANCHI: As preparations for the Assembly polls intensify in the state, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Congress have announced their decision to contest 70 seats together. Meanwhile, the RJD and the left parties have been allocated 11 seats.However, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has expressed dissatisfaction with the announcement. Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha criticised the decision, saying that not all choices can be made as quickly as “two-minute noodles.”The announcement was made on Saturday by Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Jharkhand Congress in-charge Ghulam Ahmad Mir, and senior Cabinet Minister in Hemant Soren’s cabinet Rameshwar Oraon.“JMM and Congress will contest on 70 seats, while the remaining will be given to the other alliance partners of the INDIA bloc,” Soren stated.The RJD, however, registered its displeasure over the seat-sharing formula. Jha, while talking to the media in Ranchi, said, “Congress and JMM unilaterally announced an alliance on 70 seats, offering us only a few. In 2019, our candidates finished second on five seats, which was far better than the performance of other alliance partners in terms of percentage.”“Since yesterday, our LoP Tejashwi Yadav is here (Ranchi). Despite everyone being here, if you did not involve us in the process of forming the alliance, then it is sad… It is also painful because our strength is probably very high… We have identified 15 to 18 such seats where we are capable of defeating the BJP even alone,” said Jha. They are trying to register their displeasure, he added.“All options remain open, as it is appropriate for any political party to move forward while ignoring the sentiments of its leaders and workers. Not all decisions can be made instantly, like “two-minute noodles,” said Jha. Soon after the RJD raised objections to the announcement, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and JMM chief Hemant Soren met Yadav on the issue.
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