Jharkhand Congress to stake claim for Rajya Sabha polls; seeks compromise from ally JMM

Jharkhand Congress on May 18 contended that while in 2020, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha's (JMM) Shibu Soren got elected from the alliance to the Rajya Sabha, in 2022 Congress should get the opportunity to field its candidate. In this regard, the grand old party has sought support from JMM. Notably, Shibu Soren was the candidate who got elected to the Rajya Sabha from the Congress-JMM-RJD alliance in 2020. Speaking to ANI, Jharkhand Congress President Rajesh Thakur apprised that he has activated the communication channel with Chief Minister Hemant Soren and a decision will be taken after the meeting with the alliance partners.

"We want a candidate from Congress this time. We are talking to the CM Hemant Soren regarding it. Last time, it was Guru ji (Shibu Soren) who was sent and this time it should be someone from Congress. Naturally this time, someone from Congress should go to the upper house of the Parliament, and this is what alliance is all about, compromise and sacrifice," Thakur said.

No name finalised yet: Congress President Rajesh Thakur

The Jharkhand Congress President did not divulge if the names have already been proposed and said that a decision will be taken after discussions with CM Hemant Soren. "No name has been finalised yet. We will meet and speak with the chief minister. Everything related to this will be discussed. Our in-charge is also coming to Jharkhand. After discussion, we will decide on the name," he said.

The tenure of two Rajya Sabha members, Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Mahesh Poddar from Jharkhand is expiring on July 7, 2022. Polling for the same is scheduled for June 10. Congress had fielded their candidate in 2020 elections but he couldn't manage to win. JMM President Shibu Soren and BJP State President Deepak Prakash got elected in the same year.     

BJP touched 100 seats in Rajya Sabha - A first for the party

A majority in the upper house holds the key for parties to get their presidential candidates to win. As the numbers indicate, BJP holds the upper hand in 2022. After winning three Rajya Sabha seats from the North-East (N-E) in April 2022, the BJP for the first time in the history of the party touched the 100-seat mark in the 245-member upper house of the Parliament and it will also be the first time for the Congress that the party will not have a single Rajya Sabha member from the N-E.

Image: ANI, PTI