Two days after the Grand Alliance reached seat-sharing agreement in Bihar, the Mahagatbandhan on Sunday sealed the deal in Jharkhand too. An announcement to this effect was made by Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) supremo Shibu Soren at his residence in Ranchi.

The Mahagatbandhan, as the Grand Alliance is known, in Jharkhand comprises the Congress, JMM, Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM, headed by former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi) and the RJD.

“As per the seat pact, the Congress would contest seven seats out of total 14 Lok Sabha constituencies in the State,” said the president of Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee (JPCC), Dr Ajoy Kumar. The IPS-turned-Congress leader said, “of the remaining seven seats, the JMM would contest four, the JVM two, while the RJD would contest the remaining one seat - Palamu, bordering Bihar."

While stitching the deal, the Mahagatbandhan leaders agreed that Congress would be the lead player for the Lok Sabha polls while JMM would lead during the Assembly elections, slated for November this year.

“The Congress would contest Ranchi, Hazaribagh, Dhanbad, Khunti, Lohardagga, West Singhbhum and Chatra,” said Dr Ajoy, the former MP from Jamshedpur.

The JMM would contest Dumka, Jamshedpur, Rajmahal and Giridih. “The JVM will field its candidates in Koderma and Godda Lok Sabha constituencies,” said JMM working president and former Chief Minister Hemant Soren.

All the top State leaders from JMM, Congress and JVM were present during the media briefing. However, the RJD leaders were conspicuous by their absence.