Meeting to choose consensus oppn candidate against Munda

Jamshedpur, Jan 24 (PTI) A meeting between JharkhandVikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) (JVM)-Congress party combine andNJA will take place at Ranchi tomorrow to finalise a consensusopposition candidate for the upcoming Kharswan assemblyby-election slated for February 10, Convenor of NationalJharkhandi Alliance (NJA) Surya Singh Besra today said.

While Besra, who is the President of the NJAconstituent Jharkhand People�s Party (JPP), has filednomination for Kharswan seat in Saraikela-Kharswan district onbehalf of NJA, JVM-Congress has fielded a consensus candidate,Dasrath Gagrai, who had switched over to JVM from AJSU a daybefore filing his nomination paper on January 22 last.

However, tomorrow''s meeting at the residence of JVMChief and former Jharkhand Chief Minister Babulal Marandi wasto decided a single candidate from the opposition camp toensure Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda�s defeat in theby-poll, Besra said while addressing a press conference here.

Munda, who had represented Kharswan thrice since 1995befroe he resigned from the seat after being elected to LokSabha in the last general elections, will be the consensuscandidate from the ruling camp.

Justifying his candidature for the seat to take onan heavyweight like Munda, Besra alleged that BJP and DeputyChief Minister Sudesh Mahto-headed AJSU Party, a coalitionpartner in Jharkhand government, has planted Gagrai to ensureMunda�s win in the by-poll.