Jharkhand assembly election: The All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) has fielded a candidate on Chakradharpur assembly seat, for which the BJP has named its state chief Laxman Gilua
Jharkhand assembly election: The BJP has put on hold its second list of candidate
The AJSU asked for 19 seats to contest in Jharkhand, but the BJP is willing to give not more than nine seats, sources said. The AJSU has already announced candidates for 12 seats, four of which overlap with BJP candidates in Simaria, Sindri, Mandu and Chakradharpur.
Adding to the BJP’s perceived difficulties in planning for the election in Jharkhand is the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP)’s announcement that it would go solo this time. In 2014, Ram Vilas Paswan’s LJP was given one seat to contest, which it lost. His son Chirag Paswan is now heading the party.
The BJP has put on hold its second list of candidate after releasing the first list of 52 names on Sunday, sources said, adding the party is negotiating hard with AJSU for a formula that is acceptable to both.
Sources said Mr Paswan’s LJP asked the BJP to give at least six seats to contest – Jarmundi, Nala, Hussainabad, Barkagaon, Latehar and Panki. However, the LJP has made its intention clear to contest on 37 seats, much higher than the six it told the BJP.
Prasanta Patnaik