RanchiOctober 22, 2025 06:15 PM IST
First published on: Oct 22, 2025 at 06:15 PM IST
THE cracks within the INDIA bloc over seat-sharing in Bihar are being felt in Jharkhand, with the RJD and JMM attacking each other over the JMM not being given any tickets in the alliance and deciding to stay out of the Assembly polls.
At a press conference in Giridih Monday, JMM general secretary Sudeep Kumar Sonu accused allies RJD and Congress of “dhoortata (deceit)” and of failing coalition dharma. Some JMM leaders then demanded that the RJD be dropped from the Jharkhand Cabinet.
RJD spokesperson Kailash Yadav told The Indian Express that the party didn’t take the JMM’s “emotional outburst” the wrong way, and also regretted the failure to strike an understanding with the JMM in Bihar. However, Yadav pointed out, the RJD had little choice as the seats being demanded by the JMM have sitting RJD MLAs.
“Across Bihar, there are only two tribal-dominated seats, plus the JMM does not have a strong organisational presence. They would have had to rely entirely on the RJD’s structure. Additionally, every state has different formats and formulas for an alliance,” Yadav said.
Regretting the JMM’s use of the word “dhoortata”, Yadav called it an insult to RJD chief Lalu Prasad. “You can have political differences, but there are no permanent enemies in politics. Lalu ji is a symbol of social justice, and such choice of words is objectionable,” he said.
The RJD remains committed to the alliance and to ensuring “social harmony among Dalit, Adivasi, minority, and backward communities”, Yadav said. “Our first priority is that social unity should not be broken. If the JMM decides otherwise, it is an independent and larger party in the state and free to take its own decision,” he said, adding that they would not say more and wait for an official statement by JMM leader and Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who chairs the coordination committee of the Jharkhand alliance.
JMM spokesperson Tanuj Khatri countered Yadav saying that the RJD should have shown a big heart, harking back to 2019 when the Mahagathbandhan fought the Jharkhand Assembly elections under Hemant Soren’s leadership. The RJD had just one MLA then, Khatri said. “Yet, that MLA was made a Cabinet minister. There was no obligation or formula on our part, but Hemant Soren ji respected the alliance.”
He also pointed out that during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav had driven a hard bargain over seats in Jharkhand despite the party having no real base in the state.
On the use of the word “dhoortata”, Khatri said: “No one took Lalu ji’s name. Tejashwi Yadav is the one making the decisions now. The RJD spokesperson is dragging in his own leader’s name unnecessarily.”
Asserting that Hemant Soren has always been respectful of Lalu, Khatri said:
“However, we strongly stand by Sonu’s statement calling the move dhoortata. We repeat and reaffirm it.”
The JMM leader also said that the party held the Congress equally responsible for what had transpired in Jharkhand. “Tejashwi Yadav, who chairs the INDIA bloc’s coordination committee in Bihar, as well as the Congress being a national party and our coalition partner in Jharkhand should have intervened. They have again tried to fool the simple and honest people of Jharkhand. They will definitely have to face the consequences.”