Ranchi: The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) today re-nominated Sanjeev Kumar as its candidate for the May three Rajya Sabha elections from the state, 18 days after the March 30 polls for two seats that had been countermanded by the Election Commission.
Announcing this at a press conference here, JMM president Shibu Soren said he was optimistic about ruling allies BJP and Ajsu party legislators casting their votes for Kumar again.
Soren said his son, Deputy Chief Minister Hemant Soren, would talk to the BJP leadership to urge them to vote again for Kumar.
Reversing its first decision to abstain from voting to "prevent horse-trading", the BJP central leadership changed stand soon after the seizure of Rs 2.15 crore from a vehicle on the poll day and allowed its MLAs to cast votes for Kumar.
The seizure of the cash from the car of the brother of an independent RS candidate was one of the reasons that prompted the Election Commission to cancel the polls.
On the alleged horse-trading that forced the cancellation, Soren said it should be ensured that such things did not happen.
Announcing the fresh date, the EC set April 23 as the last date for filing of nominations, scrutiny would be taken up the next day while the last date for withdrawal of papers is April 26.
Voting for the two seats would take place from 9 AM to 4 PM, and the result is expected to come out the same evening.
PTI
