NEW DELHI: The INDIA alliance is feeling the tremors following the intensified seat-sharing disputes in the Bihar elections. The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has withdrawn from the grand alliance in Bihar and will contest on its own. Senior leaders of the party, including JMM leader and Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, will campaign for them. The decision comes after the party felt they were unfairly ignored in the seat talks. JMM had earlier demanded 12 seats, but the deal didn’t materialise, which led to the fallout.

JMM General Secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya warned that the alliance may be reviewed in Jharkhand too. JMM gave six seats to RJD in the 2024 Jharkhand assembly elections. Supriyo also reminded that the RJD MLA in Jharkhand was even made a minister in the cabinet. JMM has announced candidates for the seats of Chakai, Dhamdaha, Katoria, Pirpainti, Manihari, and Jamui, where the second phase of polling will be held on November 11.

When the nomination papers for the first phase of voting on November 6 were filed, candidates of the parties belonging to the front were lined up in more than six seats. If the nominations are not withdrawn by the 20th, the parties within the INDIA alliance will contest each other in a rather grim ‘friendly’. The fact that more than one 'India' front candidate was fielded in many constituencies has confused the workers. In Lalganj and Vaishali, the RJD and the Congress did not reach a pact. Local Congress leaders were fielded against CPI candidates in Bachwara, Rajapakar and Rosera. The RJD and the Vikassheel Insan Party are struggling to reach an agreement in many seats. Meanwhile, more than 1250 people filed nominations in the first phase of the elections. 121 constituencies will go to the polling booth on November 6.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah questioned the sudden silence of Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi on the allegations of vote rigging. Amit Shah held discussions with Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) president and Union Minister Chirag Paswan in Patna on Saturday. When he pointed out that there are reports that Tejashwi Yadav of the RJD is the chief ministerial candidate of the 'India' Front, Chirag made a repartee that even the INDIA alliance are unaware of that news.