The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has renewed its call for a thorough review of the Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan) following the outcome of the Bihar Assembly elections.
JMM general secretary Vinod Kumar Pandey said that introspection is needed not only within the alliance but also at the national level. He alleged that both the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress failed to coordinate with the JMM during the election and instead underestimated the party’s role.
The timing of JMM’s statement — issued immediately after the Bihar results — is being seen as politically significant. Any review of the alliance in Jharkhand would directly bring the RJD under scrutiny, since the party holds a ministerial berth in the Jharkhand government.
On the national stage, the demand for review places responsibility squarely on the Congress. Both parties suffered major setbacks in Bihar, prompting regional partners to reconsider their association with the Congress-led formation.
Despite being part of the alliance, the RJD did not allocate a single seat to the JMM in the Bihar elections. The Congress, too, maintained silence on the issue.
At the time of seat-sharing, Jharkhand minister Sudivya Kumar Sonu—representing the JMM quota—had strongly objected, saying the party had been betrayed by its partners. He had also warned that the JMM would evaluate the manner in which both the RJD and the Congress treated it during the electoral process.
With the Bihar results dealing a heavy blow to the RJD and Congress, the morale within the JMM has risen noticeably. The party has further strengthened its position by securing a decisive victory in the Ghatshila Assembly by-election in Jharkhand, reinforcing its growing influence within the ruling coalition and the broader political landscape.
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