Bihar Elections: Exclude Jharkhand Mukti Morcha From India Alliance At Own Peril, Say JMM Leaders

Excluding Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) from the INDIA alliance’s discussions on the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections will adversely affect the ruling coalition in Jharkhand, senior JMM leaders have said in press conferences held over the last 10 days.

Several meetings of the INDIA alliance have been held concerning the Bihar Assembly elections, in which the JMM was not invited. According to reports, a seat-sharing formula has already been more or less finalised within the alliance, yet JMM has not been included in this arrangement. Though there has been no official announcement, the tentative distribution of Bihar’s 243 Assembly seats is said to be estimated at 138 seats for RJD, 54 for Congress, 30 for Left parties, and 18 for the VIP (Vikassheel Insaan Party) party.

“If the spirit of coalition is not upheld, we are left with no option but to contest the elections alone in Bihar and we certainly will. This will also negatively impact the coalition in Jharkhand in the coming days,” said JMM central spokesperson Manoj Kumar Pandey reacting to the estimate. 

It is notable that the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is part of the coalition government in Jharkhand and holds one ministerial post. In the 2024 Jharkhand Assembly elections, RJD contested seven seats and won four. In 2019, while part of the alliance, RJD also contested seven seats but secured only one win. Even then, Chief Minister Hemant Soren appointed the lone RJD MLA as a minister, showing JMM’s generous gesture.

Citing this example, JMM argues that it has extended greater respect to RJD in Jharkhand than its actual electoral strength justifies, but is not receiving similar treatment in Bihar. The JMM is demanding 10–12 seats in Bihar; otherwise, it is prepared to contest independently on 20–30 seats. In the last Bihar Assembly elections, JMM was not granted its desired number of seats and fielded candidates on five seats independently.

According to JMM, the party has contested elections in Bihar independently at least once before 2020. In 2005, the party contested more than 100 seats in the state, Barnwal said.

JMM's Bihar coordinator and central committee member Onkarnath Barnwal is particularly displeased with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav. According to Barnwal, the Congress supports JMM's participation in the Bihar elections, but Tejashwi continues to ignore them.

“We have consistently tried to be part of the alliance, but we are repeatedly ignored. If we are not given due importance this time, it will impact not only Bihar but also Jharkhand. If JMM is not accommodated in the alliance, Tejashwi Yadav’s dream of becoming Chief Minister may remain unfulfilled," said Barnwal.

Could JMM’s Candidates Challenge the INDIA Alliance? 

JMM is eyeing constituencies close to the Jharkhand border, including Tarapur, Katoria, Manihari, Jhajha, Bahadurganj, Kahalgaon, Banka, Thakurganj, Rupauli, Jamalpur, Pirpainti, and Chakai. These seats fall in districts like Jamui, Bhagalpur, Kishanganj, Purnia, and Katihar.

Journalist Hasan Javed, who covers this region, believes that JMM doesn’t hold sway over 10–12 seats, but there are 4–5 constituencies where the party has a minor yet notable influence. He adds, “JMM has some support in areas with tribal populations such as Kishanganj, Bhagalpur, Purnia, Jamui, and Katihar. If they contest these seats through an alliance, they could possibly win two to three seats.”

For now, JMM remains hopeful that it will be included in the INDIA alliance and be given seats proportionate to its support base. JMM’s spokesperson Manoj Kumar Pandey stated that the party is open to receiving a few leftover seats from the alliance or from RJD’s quota. According to sources, if JMM is offered even five seats, it might agree to remain in the alliance.

RJD, meanwhile, has downplayed the tensions. RJD spokesperson Mritunjay Tiwari said, “Our leaders Lalu Prasad and Tejashwi Yadav will consider JMM’s concerns. We share a long-standing relationship with JMM, and the party remains a strong part of the alliance. Every party aspires to contest more seats, but final decisions are made by the central leadership. Talks will soon be held with Hemant Soren Ji to resolve the matter.”

In the last Bihar Assembly elections, JMM contested five seats, including Chakai in Jamui. JMM's Sumit Kumar Singh had won from Chakai in 2010. In the previous election, JMM candidate Elizabeth Soren secured 16,985 votes in Chakai, and RJD lost the seat by just 581 votes.

If JMM goes solo again, similar scenarios could unfold in multiple constituencies. It is noteworthy, that according to 2023 Bihar caste census report, scheduled tribe’s population in Bihar is approximately 22 lakhs.