JMM accuses Election Commission of favouring BJP

RANCHI: The ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha ( JMM ) on Wednesday accused the Election Commission of India of working in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party. The JMM also charged the BJP-led Centre with misusing central agencies.

The party's accusations came a day after the ECI announced that elections to the 81-member assembly in the state will be held in two phases - November 13 and 20.

"Elections will be held in two phases but under a game plan. In some constituencies in a district, polling will be conducted on different dates. The way the matter was decided, it appears the ECI is trying to favour the BJP ," JMM central spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya alleged in a press conference here.

Bhattacharya claimed that in the Mandu constituency in Hazaribag, the elections were scheduled on the second phase so that top BJP leaders such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah could hold meetings on a day close to the polling and influence voters in adjoining constituencies.

Likewise, Khijri and Silli constituencies in Ranchi district were scheduled to go to polls in the second phase "under a strategy", he alleged.

"I appeal to the Centre and ECI not to harm constitutional institutions like this," Bhattacharya said.

He alleged that the poll strategies were "decided at Assam Bhavan", apparently hinting at Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma who is the BJP's election co-incharge for Jharkhand.

Bhattacharya questioned how the Assam chief minister was aware of the election dates announcement.

The BJP, however, claimed that the ruling party is making such allegations since it is afraid of losing the elections.

Forty-three of the constituencies are going to polls on November 13 while elections in the remaining 38 seats will be held on November 20.

The saffron party has announced that its seat-sharing arrangement within the NDA is "almost final," with the first list of candidates expected within the next two days.

According to the proposed arrangement, the Sudesh Mahto-led AJSU Party will contest 9-11 seats, while the JD(U) will field candidates in two constituencies. Talks regarding seat-sharing with LJP (Ram Vilas) are scheduled for Wednesday or Thursday, pending the return of its chief Chirag Paswan from abroad.

On Monday, Chief Minister Hemant Soren said that the JMM-led alliance will contest all 81 seats, although the seat-sharing formula among the allies - Congress and RJD - is yet to be finalised.