Ranchi: The three ruling UPA allies in Jharkhand, the JMM, the Congress and the RJD, on Thursday pledged that there would not be any friendly contests among the 14 seats they shared for the ensuing general elections. As per the seat adjustments, the Congress is contesting nine seats, the JMM four and the RJD one.
PCC general secretary Shailesh Sinha said after a meeting chaired by PCC president Sukhdeo Bhagat and attended by the leaders of JMM and RJD, that the parties pledged support to each other and decided to contest "seriously" without any "friendly" bouts.
Former Union minister and Congress candidate from Ranchi, Subodh Kant Sahay, who was also present in the meeting, said a committee for coordination among the allies would be set up for "smooth campaigning". Thanking the Congress for sparing the Palamau seat to the RJD, its spokesman Manoj Kumar said the party has nominated former MP Manoj Bhuyan from there.
"He will file his nomination papers on March 22. The next day party president Lalu Prasad will address two election meetings in Palamau LS constituency," Kumar said.