Amid ensuing polls, BJP tries to resolve trouble with allies in Jharkhand

By Pragya Kaushika
New Delhi [India], Nov 8 (ANI): It seems like BJP's allies are becoming a big headache for the Party this election season.
In Jharkhand, BJP is sure to have a pre-poll alliance with All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) to stay intact. But specific demands by the AJSU seem to be creating a hurdle in the finalising candidates for ensuing polls in the state.
To resolve the issue of seat-sharing, BJP leaders have scheduled a meeting with the AJSU leadership in Delhi on Saturday, sources in the party stated.
According to a senior leader in the party, the seat-sharing arrangement is likely to be resolved in a day or two.
"We are meeting AJSU leadership tomorrow and soon seat-sharing will be announced," added the senior party leader. The last day of nominations for the first phase of elections is November 13.
OP Mathur, in-charge of Jharkhand for BJP said, "AJSU is our alliance and our meetings are taking place. We will work together. Their demands can be different from our expectations. But we will sort this out in a day or two."
According to party sources, AJSU is expecting to get a share of 19-20 seats in 81-member Jharkhand Assembly.
The BJP ticket hopefuls are resenting the demand as this would affect their chances of contesting polls.
"If they take 20 (seat) where will our workers on those seats go? I think they will get anything between 8 to 12 seats," added the senior BJP leader.
The Jharkhand core group of the party met on Thursday and shared their list of candidates with party chief Amit Shah.
"The process (of shortlisting candidates on each seat) is almost complete. We have discussed candidates with the prominent people of even Mandal level, MPs and leaders of the area. When we go to polls, the ticket distribution should be right. Our election committee meeting was convened and that shortlisted candidates further. The list was then discussed with Amit Shah. Whenever Central Election Committee and parliament board of the party is convened, which can be tomorrow as well, the list will be approved, " stated Mathur, who also underlined that the only criteria is ability to win and social equations, geographical concerns including other pros and cons of the candidate.
Responding to the probability of Opposition coming together in the state and challenge it may pose for the BJP, Mathur said, "One thing is clear that to fight against development works of Modi and organisational tasks of Amit Shah a not a challenge for a single party to handle. BJP has built its own network in the past 10 years and BJP development work of 7 years. This task is creating panic among the opposition."
The tenure for 81-member Jharkhand Assembly is ending on 5 January.
In 2014, the BJP, which won 35 seats formed the government along with All Jharkhand Students' Union (AJSU) which had won 5 seats and Raghubar Das took over as the Chief Minister.
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) finished second in the tally with 17 seats while Congress was decimated to just six assembly seats.
This will be the fourth Assembly election in Jharkhand since the state was carved out in 2000.
BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) had won 12 out of 14 parliamentary seats in 2019 General elections in the state. (ANI)