BJP alone will get over 65 seats in Jharkhand: Raghubar Das

Patna: Suspense, whether the BJP and All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) will remain in alliance, continued on Thursday with both sides refusing to call off talks over the issue of seat-sharing in Jharkhand.

The BJP state unit hinted that the party was not willing to accept AJSU's demand for 17 seats. Sources said that BJP's top leadership made the decision during a meeting in New Delhi on Thursday.

Speaking on the issue chief minister Raghubar Das said, “The BJP will achieve the target of 65 plus seats in Jharkhand with the support of party workers.”

When asked about the seat-sharing deal with AJSU, Mr Das said that BJP central leadership is keeping a close watch on the situation and will make a decision soon.

Political analysts in Jharkhand are of the view that the BJP is waiting for the AJSU to announce its departure from the NDA. A section in the BJP, however, has been urging the central leadership to consider contesting Assembly polls independently on all 81 seats.

The BJP has so far announced candidates for 53 seats, and also decided to extend support to an independent candidate Vinod Singh in Hussainabad constituency. Reports suggest that the BJP may also soon candidates for the 27 assembly seats.

Sources said that the BJP is likely to make a final offer of 10 seats to the AJSU before taking any decision on the issue besides going for a friendly fight on three seats.

 “BJP has never ditched any of its partners. Alliances break due to ambitions of political parties and as far as the seat-sharing deal is concerned, a final decision will be announced by our top leadership soon,” said a BJP leader requesting anonymity.

The rift between both the partners had surfaced last week when the AJSU released a list of twelve candidates out of which the BJP had already fielded candidates on four seats.

In 2014, the BJP had won 37 out of 72 seats it had contested, while the AJSU won 5 out of 8 seats. AJSU was considered a strong NDA partner with a large support base in the tribal belt.

Political experts are also of the view that AJSU’s exit from the NDA may cause trouble for the BJP which has been trying to achieve a target of 65 plus during the assembly polls slated to begin from November 30.

Sources said that the AJSU on the hand has kept its door open for top leaders who were dropped by their respective parties during ticket distribution.

Meanwhile, on Thursday veteran tribal leader and former Congress state president Pradeep Balmuchu joined AJSU.

Besides AJSU, two other NDA partners — JD(U) and LJP — have also decided to contest assembly polls on its own in Jharkhand. On Tuesday LJP national president Chirag Paswan in had tweeted, “The Jharkhand unit has decided to contest assembly polls independently on 50 seats.”

On Tuesday BJP’s chief whip in Jharkhand assembly and Chhatarpur sitting MLA Radha Krishna Kishore joined AJSU after he was denied ticket from his party.

"I was the Chief Whip of the BJP. I joined AJSU as I feel that the party is being led by the son of the soil who talks of the overall development of Jharkhand. Not only me but people of the constituency were also surprised after BJP denied ticket to me", Radha Krishna Kishore said.

Besides AJSU, two other NDA partners — JD(U) and LJP — have also decided to contest assembly polls on its own in Jharkhand. On Tuesday LJP national president Chirag Paswan in had tweeted, "The Jharkhand unit has decided to contest assembly polls independently on 50 seats."