Supriyo Bhattacharya.
Credit: X/@SupriyoJMM
Ranchi: The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) will take its own decision on the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections if respectable seats are not allocated to the party by I.N.D.I.A. bloc by October 14, a senior party leader said on Saturday.
The JMM is willing to contest at least 12 assembly seats in the Bihar polls as an ally of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc, he said.
"We are with the Mahagathbandhan and will contest the polls in alliance. We urge the leaders of Mahagathbandhan in Bihar to announce JMM's share in the alliance at the earliest, as the nomination process has already begun," JMM central general secretary and spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya said while addressing media persons here.
He said the party has also completed its preparations for the polls in Bihar.
In Jharkhand elections, the JMM gave respectable share to its alliance partners - Congress, RJD, CPI (ML) L, he said.
"So, we also expect respectable seats for JMM in the Bihar elections," Bhattacharya said.
He said Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) was given seven seats in the 2019 Jharkhand assembly polls, but it was able to win only one Chatra seat.
"But, we made the RJD's single MLA as minister in alliance government in Jharkhand for five years. In the 2024 polls, we gave 5 per cent of Jharkhand seats, which is six, to RJD. Out of four members, who won the elections, one of them was made minister as part of the alliance dharma," Bhattacharya said.
He said the JMM's central committee meeting is scheduled to meet on October 15.
"So, our seats should be allotted by then. Otherwise, we are free to make our decision in the central committee meeting. We are an independent political party and will not stand with folded hands," Bhattacharya added.
He said the JMM know how to contest elections strongly, particularly against the BJP.
"We do not want any sort of confusion among the alliance partners, as it may give an opportunity to others to take advantage. So, we want everything to be sorted out by our central committee meeting. There are several seats in Bihar where if we do not help them and our leaders do not campaign, it will cause a huge loss to the Mahagathbandhan," he said.
Bihar Assembly elections will be held on November 6 and 11, and votes will be counted on November 14.