Just after Maharashtra, where BJP and its ally Shiv Sena parted ways because of differences over government formation and the Sena accusing BJP of backtracking from the promised 50:50 partnership before the elections, the same fire is catching in Jharkhand as well, where allies Lok Jan Shakti Party (LJP) and the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) are not agreeing to its seat–sharing formula for the upcoming Jharkhand Assembly Elections.

Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) is going solo and has decided to contest on 50 seats.

The LJP president took to Twitter and posted, “The Lok Janshakti Party has decided it will contest 50 seats alone. The first list of party candidates will be announced this evening.”

झारखंड में चुनाव लड़ने का आख़िरी फ़ैसला प्रदेश इकाई को लेना था।लोक जनशक्ति पार्टी झारखंड प्रदेश इकाई ने यह फ़ैसला लिया है पार्टी 50 सीटों पर अकेले चुनाव लड़ेगी।आज शाम तक पार्टी के उमीदवारों की पहली सूची का एलान हो जाएगा।

— Chirag Paswan (@ichiragpaswan) November 12, 2019

During the 2014 Assembly elections the LJP contested on one seat and lost. This time they were demanding to contest on six seats- Jarmundi, Nala, Hussainabad, Barkagaon, Latehar and Panki.

While the AJSU in direct conflict with the BJP has fielded its candidate on Chakradharpur assembly seat, on which the BJP’s Jharkhand president Laxman Gilua is contesting.

The negotiations are on between the two parties where AJSU asked for 19 seats but the BJP is wants to part with 9 seats only, according to reports. The party has already announced candidates on 12 seats. They are contesting on Simaria, Sindri, Mandu and Chakradharpur where BJP too have fielded its candidates.

The negations are on between the three allies, as it seems parties are taking a cue from Maharashtra as  the junior partners in alliance are going the Shiv Sena way in Jharkhand.

The 81-member assembly is currently ruled by Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) with Raghubar Das as its Chief Minister. He will contest from Jamshedpur. Last year in December, Raghubar Das became the first Chief Minister in the state to complete four years in the office.

In the last Assembly Elections in 2014, BJP won 35 seats out of total 81 seats and its ally, the AJSU won 5, while LJP scored a duck.

The JMM, the Congress and the RJD had recently announced a pre-poll alliance in the state. As per the agreement the Congress will contest 31 seats, the JMM 43 and the RJD will put up candidates in seven constituencies.
The Congress was reduced to six seats only in the last state elections, while JMM won 19 seats.

The Election Commission of India has issued the notice for the second phase of the Jharkhand Assembly elections on Monday. In the second phase, 20 Assembly seats will go for polls on December 7 and the last date for filing the nominations is November 18.

The EC on November 6 issued notification for the first phase of Assembly elections in Jharkhand, to be held on November 30. In the first phase, polling will take place in 13 Assembly seats — Chatra, Gumla, Vishunpur, Lohardagga, Manika, Latehar, Panki, Daltanganj, Vishrampur, Chatarpur, Harwah, Hussainabad and Bhavanathpur.

As per the notification, the existing Legislative Assembly of Jharkhand will continue till January 5, 2020, unless dissolved earlier.