JMM to field candidate in Rajya Sabha poll: Shibu Soren

Ranchi, May 27: The opposition Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) on Friday,May 27 announced it will field a candidate for elections to the Rajya Sabha for two seats from the state on June 11.

"Our party will field a candidate in the Rajya Sabha polls. We will seek Congress support," JMM president Shibu Soren told reporters here.

In the 82-member assembly, the JMM is the second largest party with 19 legislators.

The last date for filing the nominations for then Rajya Sabha elections is May 31.

JMM executive president and former chief minister Hemant Soren has gone to New Delhi to meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi to seek her party's support in the polls for the upper house.

The two Rajya Sabha seats fell vacant at the end of the terms of Bharatiya Janata Party's M.J. Akbar and Congressman Dheeraj Sahu.

Though the ruling BJP is set to win one seat, it is trying to garner support for the second seat too. The BJP is in minority in the Rajya Sabha.

The Congress with six legislators has also staked claim to the second seat.

Congress leader Alok Dubey said: "It's a Congress seat and the JMM should rather support our candidate."

IANS