By Nityanand Shukla
Ranchi, Oct 8 (IANS) The ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) is unhappy with its ally Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), as the latter has denied any seat to it in the upcoming Bihar Assembly polls.
Not allotting any seat to JMM in Bihar Assembly polls may have an effect on the freedom of RJD President Lalu Prasad, who is enjoying special privilege at the Kelly Bunglow designated for the director of the Rajendra Institute of Medical Science (RIMS), Ranchi.
Lalu Prasad, who has been convicted in four fodder scam cases, was staying in the paying ward of RIMS instead of the Birsa Munda central jail for health and treatment reasons.
He was shifted to the RIMS director’s bungalow due to coronavirus fear. The RJD supremo has been in RIMS for more than two years now. When he was shifted to the Kelly residence, the BJP had questioned the move. It has also been alleged that Lalu Prasad played an important role in ticket distribution from the residence of the RIMS director. A large number of RJD leaders had reportedly met Lalu Prasad to get tickets.
JMM has now accused the RJD of political treachery.
“RJD has forgotten the political decorum. It was given seats in the grand alliance during the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls. RJD was given seats more than its strength in the Jharkhand Assembly polls. The party drew a blank in the 2014 Assembly polls. But still it was given more seats in the 2019 Jharkhand Assembly polls. Yet it won only one seat in 2019,” JMM General Secretary and spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya told reporters.
When asked about Lalu Prasad’s stay in the RIMS director’s bungalow, he said “It is the jail administration which decides on such matters. We have no role in it.”
JMM had demanded 12 seats from RJD in the Bihar Assembly elections. It announced to gone alone in Jhajha, Chakai, Katoria, Dhamdah, Manihari, Nathnagar and Pirpainti seats. Bhattacharya said that doors for any kind of talks have now being shut.
The fallout is likely to have its impact on the grand alliance in the state comprising JMM, Congress and RJD.
Earlier, it was said that RJD would give a few seats in Bihar to JMM from its own quota. In the 2019 Assembly polls, JMM, Congress and RJD had won 30, 26 and 1 seats, respectively.
JMM executive President and Chief Minister Hemant Soren had met Lalu Prasad at the Kely Bunglow, demanding 12 seats in the Bihar Assembly polls.
JMM was planning to contest the seats reserved for Schedule Tribe (ST) candidates, which share their borders with Jharkhand. The 12 seats which the party had initially demanded included Tarapur, Katoria, Manihari, Jhajha, Banka, Thakurganj, Rupauli, Rampur, Banmankhi, Jamalpur, Pirpainti and Chakai.
–IANS
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