The AJSU party today brought the political temperature in the State to a new height by announcing names for 12 Assembly seats, names for at least three of which have already been announced by the NDA alliance partner BJP on Sunday. Among the 12 candidates the AJSU Party has even announced a candidate against State BJP president Laxman Gilua from Chakradharpur.

After two rounds of meetings with top BJP leaders in Delhi AJSU Party chief Sudesh Kumar Mahto today reached the State Capital and immediately rushed to Lohardaga to attend nomination of Neeru Shanti Bhagat, wife of former AJSU MLA Kamal Kishore Bhagat. Later in the evening party spokesperson Deosharan Bhagat in the presence of party senior leaders and MLAs announced the names for 12 seats. Bhagat said that party chief Sudesh Mahto met BJP national president Amit Shah, national executive president JP Nadda and State election in-charge OP Mathur in Delhi on Sunday and gave them list of candidates for 17 seats as per the AJSU Party’s base, its area and people’s aspirations.

“Today we are announcing names for 12 seats as decided in the party’s parliamentary board meeting on November 10. Party president Sudesh Kumar Mahto will hold a press conference on the alliance and seat sharing issue on Tuesday,” he said. On being asked whether the alliance is still intact with the BJP, Bhagat said that BJP has issued its first list and the AJSU party has also announced its first list.

Notably, among the 12 seats announced by the AJSU Party today there are three seats – Chakradharpur, Mandu and Sindri, where the BJP has already announced candidates. From Chakradharpur the BJP has announced the name of State BJP president Laxman Gilua, while the AJSU Party announced the name of Ramlal Munda. From Mandu the BJP has fielded JP Patel, while the AJSU Party has fielded Nirmal Mahto (Tiwari Mahto). Also on Sindri seat BJP has decided to field Indrajeet Mahto, while AJSU Party has picked Sadanand Mahto.

The AJSU Party has also announced names of Neeru Shanti Bhagat and Umakant Rajak for Lohardaga and Chandankiyari seats respectively. Bhagat filed her nomination in the presence of party chief Sudesh Mahto on Monday. Notably, Lohardaga is a stronghold of sitting MLA Sukhdeo Bhagat, who recently joined BJP and Chandankiyari is the seat of incumbent Minister Amar Bauri. The BJP Central leadership is yet to open its cards about alliance with the AJSU party and seat sharing agreement even when just two days are left for the last date for filing of nomination for the first phase of polls.

The BJP was unwilling to grant Lohardaga and Chandankiyari seats to the alliance partner and now the partner has fielded candidates on three more seats against the big brother’s wishes.

BJP senior leaders said that the decision on the alliance and seat sharing (if any) will be taken by the Central leadership within few hours as the AJSU party has been making a hard bargain, which may not be acceptable to the saffron party.