Marandi joins hands with AIUDF for Assam polls
JAMSHEDPUR: Buoyed over the Grand Alliance’s victory in Bihar, Jharkhand Vikas Morcha Prajatantrik (JVM-P) chief Babulal Marandi announced tie-up with the All-India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) led by MP Badruddin Ajmal for the Assam assembly elections next year.
Assam has a sizeable population of tribal people from Jharkhand who are living there for over a century, said the former chief minister, adding: “Salkhan Murmu’s Jharkhand Disom Party would also be in our alliance.”
The Bihar’s Grand Alliance comprised the JD (U), the RJD and the Congress.
Marandi, who went to Patna to participate in the swearing-in ceremony of Nitish Kumar, told HT on Saturday: “We met Badruddin during the oath-taking ceremony of Kumar in Patna, and we agreed to fight the upcoming assembly polls in Assam together.”
But for the Lohardaga assembly bypoll to be held on December 14, Marandi’s JVM-P has chosen not to join the opposition unity move and fielded a separate candidate Bandhu Tirkey.
Losing or winning that seat would have no impact on the ruling coalition government led by the BJP in Jharkhand, he said.
“But the seat is a challenge for my party and we will try to make a grand alliance for the general election in 2019 and assembly polls,” said Marandi.
The Lohardaga seat has fallen vacant after the MLA of All-Jharkhand Student Union Party Kamal Kishore Bhagat was convicted in two criminal cases.
Marandi further said, “I have talked to JMM working president Hemant Soren for a grand alliance but we’re yet to get a response. Our party had also tried to unite the opposition parties during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls but it could not materialise due to the Congress. They should make the reasons public now.”
Marandi and Murmu said the modalities of their alliance would be worked out in consultation with AIUDF general secretary Aminaullah during a protest rally at Srirampore in Kokrajhor district of Assam on November 24.