‘NDA partners AJSU Party to contest 10 seats, JD(U) 2, LJP (Ram Vilas) 1’

Ranchi: The BJP on Friday said it will contest the upcoming Assembly polls in Jharkhand in alliance with AJSU Party, JD(U) and LJP (Ram Vilas).

Under the arrangement, the saffron party will contest 68 seats, AJSU Party 10, JD(U) 2 and LJP (Ram Vilas) 1, though a final decision will be made soon. Elections to the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly will be held in two phases, on November 13 and November 20, with the counting of votes scheduled for November 23.

Briefing reporters here, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, also the BJP’s co-in-charge for Jharkhand Assembly elections, said National Democratic Alliance (NDA) constituents All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) Party will contest 10 seats, Janata Dal (United) two and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) one.

Sarma said while the seat-sharing arrangement is nearly finalised, the BJP is adopting a “wait and watch” strategy as rival parties, including the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, are yet to disclose their plans.

Sarma said, “NDA allies AJSU Party will contest 10 seats, JD(U) 2, and LJP (Ram Vilas) 1 in Jharkhand as per the seat-sharing arrangement, which is almost finalised.”

AJSU Party, JD(U) and LJP (Ram Vilas) are valuable partners of BJP, he said.

AJSU Party will contest from Silli, Ramgarh, Gomia, Ichagarh, Mandu, Jugsalai, Dumri, Pakur, Lohardaga, and Manoharpur. JD(U) will field candidates in Jamshedpur West and Tamar, while LJP (Ram Vilas) will contest from Chatra, he said.