JVM(P) to go it alone in Jharkhand Assembly polls

Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) chief, Babulal Marandi, on Sunday announced breaking away from the pre-Lok Sabha poll opposition alliance and said the party will contest all the 81 seats on its own in the coming Assembly elections in Jharkhand.

The JVM(P) had been a part of the opposition grand alliance before the 2019 Parliamentry elections with its party contesting the Godda constituency out of the total 14 Lok Sabha seats.

The Congress, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and the Rashtriya Janata Dal along with the JVM-P had formed the grand alliance before the Lok Sabha polls in April-May.

"The JVM(P) will not ally with any party. We will contest all the 81 seats on our own.

"After the Lok Sabha elections I tried to establish talks with the opposition parties, but they did not show any interest. Now there is no time for dialogue for any alliance," the former chief minister told PTI at Rajdhanwar in Giridih district.

He said the party has convened meetings on November 5 and 6 to discuss with party leaders of all the constituencies before selecting candidates.

Before the parliamentary polls, the grand alliance had announced that the Congress would lead the Lok Sabha elections while the JMM would spearhead the opposition alliance in the assembly elections.

Jharkhand assembly elections will start on November 30 and continue till December 20. The elections will be held in five phases and results will be announced on December 23.