Bhubaneswar, March 7: BJD president and chief minister Naveen Patnaik today announced that his party would have seat adjustments with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM). The development comes at a time when the BJP continues to dilly-dally on its seat-sharing plans.
Though backroom parleys were going on for a while, the announcement with regard to the BJD’s alliance was made after JMM chief Sudam Marandi met Naveen at his residence here today.
Following the talks, Marandi said: “We have decided to go for an alliance with the BJD because it would help the growth and development of the backward regions such as Mayurbhnaj and Sundargarh.”
Marandi said that only after discussing with party leaders, the JMM would announce how many seats it would contest from in Mayurbhanj and Sundargarh. However, he made it clear that he was interested in contesting from the Mayurbhanj Lok Sabha seat. “Though we have presence in Mayurbhanj and Sundargarh, we are interested in the Mayurbhanj Lok Sabha seat,” said Marandi.
The Mayurbhanj Lok Sabha seat is now represented by BJD MP Laxman Tudu.
Of the nine Assembly seats in Mayurbhanj district, the BJD has seven. In Sundergarh, the BJD represents two of the seven Assembly seats. The BJD is facing a tough challenge from both the BJP and the Congress in Sundargarh district. While the Congress has three MLAs, the BJP has one.
Another seat is represented by Independent MLA George Tirkey. Tirkey, who now heads Samata Kranti Dal, enjoys a lot of clout in Sundargarh district. The Sundargarh Lok Sabha seat is represented by Congress MP Hemananda Biswal.
Panchayati Raj minister and BJD vice-president Kalpataru Das said: “We are ready to contest all the 147 Assembly seats. But, we are working out on how many seats we may have to give the JMM in Mayurbhanj and Sundergarh districts. Once it is finalised, all of you will know.”
Sources said that in order to create the platform for a pact with the JMM, the BJD leadership sent its prominent leader from Mayurbhanj Sarojini Hembram to Rajya Sabha.
