Congress, JVM finalise tie up for Jharkhand assembly polls

After protracted negotiations, Congress and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha  (JVM) today reached a seat sharing agreement for assembly elections in Jharkhand with JVM contesting 19 seats, Congress 55 and friendly fights at remaining seven constituencies.

Announcing the alliance at a joint press conference, K Keshav Rao, AICC in-charge of Jharkhand and Babu Lal Marandi, president of JVM hoped that they would get the mandate and form a stable government in the state.

"The state was facing instability...There have been six chief ministers in eight years. We will provide a stable government, declare a war on corruption and bring in inclusive growth and development," Rao said.

Marandi, a former BJP chief minister and an MP from Koderma, who is giving outside support to the UPA government said, "In nine years, the people of the state have been unhappy. We hope this coalition will get a mandate and provide a stable government in Jharkhand".

On whether he was an aspirant for the chief minister's post if the alliance was voted to power, Marandi said all he was interested in providing a stable government.

Asked about the chief minister's post, Rao said it was for the MLAs to decide.

The announcement came after Marandi met Congress president Sonia Gandhi for 30 minutes to finalise the tie-up.

On what was meant by "friendly contest", Rao said here one tries to prove that he is stronger than the other.

He said the importance of the alliance was that Marandi enjoyed a "clean image" in the state.