Even if we go solo in Jharkhand polls, won’t sabotage INDIA bloc: RJD amid seat-sharing impasse

Expressing its disappointment with the JMM and the Congress over seat-sharing for the Jharkhand Assembly polls, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on Sunday said it would not settle for less than 12 seats, but it will not sabotage the prospects of the INDIA bloc even if it goes solo.

The JMM and the Congress on Saturday announced that the two parties would contest 70 of the state’s 81 assembly seats.

“Less than 12-13 seats are not acceptable to us as the RJD has a strong hold on 18-20 seats. If we are asked to contest three-four seats, we are not ready to make any sacrifices,” RJD spokesperson Manoj Kumar Jha said.

“Our sole aim is to defeat BJP, we will not sabotage the INDIA bloc,” he said.

Jha, a Rajya Sabha MP, said even if the party decided to go solo in the elections, it would extend its support to INDIA bloc candidates on 60-62 seats.

Last time, RJD had contested seven seats and won one seat. Its MLA Satyanand Bhokta is a minister in the Hemant Soren cabinet.