'Sinking' Congress now banks upon Lalu-Nitish support to steer through Jharkhand polls

Ranchi, Nov 6: Days after snapping its alliance with the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), the Congress is now hoping to strike a seat sharing an arrangement with RJD and JD(U) in the tribal-dominated state.

Congress feels that by sealing a deal with RJD-JD(U), who are its ally in Bihar, will help the party gain some ground.

Congress snapped ties with JMM after sharing power with for some 16 months in the tribal-dominated Jharkhand. The JD(U), RJD and Congress won six of the 10 assembly seats in the Bihar by-polls and together decimated their common foe BJP, which managed to bag just four seats in the by-polls.

Earlier last month, the former Bihar chief ministers Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar confirmed they will campaign together for the Jharkhand assembly election.

In August, Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar jointly campaigned during the by-elections in Bihar. That was the first time the two leaders came together after a gap of 20 years.

"Both will share the dais and address election rallies seeking support for candidates of the JD(U), RJD and Congress," Bihar Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shravan Kumar said.

Sharvan, a senior JD(U) leader consider close to Nitish Kumar, said the Congress, Janata Dal-United and Rashtriya Janata Dal considered the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as their main rival in Jharkhand.

The Jharkhand election will be held in November-December.

OneIndia News