Jharkhand assembly polls: Babulal Marandi out of Congress alliance

NEW DELHI: Congress bid to get former chief minister Babulal Marandi’s Jharkhand Vikas Morcha into the grand alliance being stitched-up for the assembly polls fell through after the ex-CM insisted that he be named the chief ministerial candidate of the alliance.

According to a source, Congress had suggested a seat-sharing formula under which JVM-P, JMM and Congress would each contest 24 seats and leave the rest to JD (U) and RJD in the 81-member assembly.

But Marandi said his voters would rally behind him and support the alliance only if he is declared the CM candidate. "JMM did not agree to this demand from Marandi as it fancies of retaining the chief ministership. This led Marandi to say no to the alliance," well-placed sources said. Elections are likely to be held in Jharkhand along with J&K in November-December. In the present assembly, BJP and JMM have 18 MLAs each. Congress has 14 and JVM-P 11.

After a coalition government of BJP and JMM fell when the former withdrew support, JMM and Congress have formed a government with Hemant Soren as chief minister.

"In case JMM decides to walk out of the alliance with Congress just ahead of the elections, Congress and JVM-P may still have a seat-sharing arrangement but only if Marandi is made the CM candidate," a senior leader of JVM-P said.

Marandi is reportedly unhappy with BJP after the latter poached five of its MLAs.