JMM pulls out of Bihar race, blames allies Cong, RJD

Jharkhand’s ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha on Monday announced that it would not contest the assembly elections in neighbouring Bihar, claiming that the decision was taken in the wake of a ‘political conspiracy’ by its allies Rashtriya Janata Dal and Congress, which deprived it of seats as part of the Mahagathbandhan.

IMAGE: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren along with state finance minister Radha Krishna Kishore and state Tourism Minister Sudivya Kumar. Photograph: ANI Photo

Speaking to reporters, senior JMM leader Sudivya Kumar said his party will ‘review’ the alliance with the Congress and RJD in Jharkhand, and give a befitting reply to the ‘snub’.

The announcement came barely two days after the Hemant Soren-led party said it would go solo in Bihar and contest the elections in six assembly segments, as seat-sharing talks failed.

“The RJD and the Congress are responsible for depriving JMM from contesting the election as part of a political conspiracy. JMM will give a befitting reply to this, and review its alliance with RJD and Congress,” said Kumar, Jharkhand’s tourism minister.

The JMM on Saturday had announced that it will contest Chakai, Dhamdaha, Katoria, Manihari, Jamui and Pirpainti seats, which are slated to go to polls in the second phase of the Bihar elections on November 11.

The deadline for the submission of nomination papers in these seats was Monday.

Kumar said JMM had helped RJD in the 2015 Bihar elections.

“The JMM had given seven seats to the RJD in the 2019 Jharkhand elections. Only one candidate won, and he was made a minister in the Jharkhand government,” he said.

“In the Bihar election of 2020, the JMM was assured of three seats by the RJD and Congress, but later they divided the seats among themselves, deceiving us. In last year’s Jharkhand polls, the JMM left a respectable number of seats for the Congress, RJD and the Left, but the party was humiliated again in the 2025 Bihar election,” he added.

Kumar said the ‘political conspiracy’ hatched by the leading parties of the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar has hurt the sentiments of the people.

“Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) is a big force and a strong voice of tribals in the country. The betrayal will not be forgotten,” he said.

Kumar also said that Congress should have fought for the interests of JMM in Bihar, but it did not.

He said the JMM leadership held a long discussion on the seat-sharing arrangement with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on October 7.

“We were told the final decision will be taken on the seats after discussion with Hemant Soren,” he added.