BJP to contest from Jamshedpur, says Munda

JAMSHEDPUR: Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda today said BJP would contest the Jamshedpur parliamentary by-election, which he represented in Lok Sabha before becoming the chief minister.

"I had represented the Jamshedpur Lok Sabha seat till I resigned and later elected to the state assembly in February," Munda told newsmen here.

Jamshedpur parliamentary seat has been a traditional BJP seat and we would certainly put up a candidate in the by-election, he said.

The date of the by-election was yet to be announced. About the possible party candidate for the seat, the chief minister said the candidate could be a local candidate or from the state.

Munda was inducted as Jharkhand Chief Minister in September. He had vacated Jamshedpur seat after winning the assembly by-election from Kharswan in February.

Referring the anti-encroachment drive, Munda said the state government was making endeavour to find out a permanent solution to the problem.

"We want to honour the directive of the High court in this regard while trying to find out a permanent solution to the problem peacefully," he said claiming that the government succeeded to some extent.