New Delhi: The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has decided to contest the upcoming Assam Assembly elections independently, effectively ending alliance talks with the Indian National Congress in the state.
After weeks of negotiations, the two parties failed to reach a consensus on seat-sharing. While Congress reportedly offered JMM between five to seven seats, the regional party pushed for a larger share. With neither side willing to уступ ground, the talks eventually broke down.
JMM has now announced candidates for around 19–21 seats in the 126-member Assam Legislative Assembly, signalling its intent to establish an independent political footprint in the northeastern state. The party has also left one seat for a Left ally, reflecting limited cooperation with other opposition groups.
Reacting to the development, state Congress president Keshav Mahato Kamlesh expressed concern that JMM’s move could lead to a split in tribal votes, potentially benefiting rival parties. He stated that Congress had made sincere efforts to bring JMM into an alliance and had assured full organisational support in constituencies allotted to it.
JMM leaders, however, defended the decision, saying the party is focusing on regions with significant tribal and tea garden worker populations—segments where it believes it has a strong connect. Senior party functionaries have been actively working on the ground to mobilise these communities in recent months.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who has visited Assam multiple times, has positioned the party as a voice for tribal rights beyond Jharkhand. His outreach has centred on issues of identity, welfare, and recognition for tea garden workers, many of whom trace their roots to Jharkhand.
The development is being closely watched as it may have wider political implications, including potential strain in JMM-Congress relations in Jharkhand, where the two parties are allies. Analysts believe the fallout could influence upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in the state.
Assam is scheduled to go to polls in a single phase on April 9 for all 126 seats. With opposition unity now fractured, the electoral contest is expected to become more complex, raising questions about vote division and its potential advantage to the Bharatiya Janata Party, which performed strongly in the previous election.
As campaigning intensifies, it remains to be seen whether JMM’s independent strategy will help it carve out a new base in Assam or end up reshaping the broader opposition dynamics in the state.
