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JD(U) identifies candidates for 30 seats in Jharkhand

PATNA: The JD(U) has identified its candidates for more than 30, out of total 81 assembly seats, which it intends to contest in Jharkhand, which is going to the polls from November 30 to December 20 in five phases.

However, the party-as part of its strategy has decided not to disclose the names till the nomination process for a particular phase begins.

“The nomination for the first phase will begin from November 6 and end on November 13. But the JD(U) leadership has decided not to release the names of candidates for the first phase before the last date for nomination,” a senior party leader told TOI.

Sources in the JD(U) said the party has not only finalized the candidates for more than 30 constituencies but also asked the ticket aspirants to make necessary preparations to contest the election in their respective constituencies.

As per the initial list, JD(U)’s Jharkhand unit president Salkhan Murmu will contest from two seats— Majhgaon and Shikaripara, while former energy minister Lalchand Mahto will contest from Dumri seat in Giridih district. Similarly, former Jharkhand minister Sudha Choudhary will contest from Chhatarpur seat in Palamu district. Sudha is the sister of former Bihar speaker Uday Narayan Choudhary. Party’s another senior leader and former MLA Khiru Mahto will contest from his traditional Mandu seat, sources said.

When contacted, Murmu, who was in Jamshedpur, confirmed that he has sent a list of more than 30 candidates to the party’s national leadership for approval. The list was prepared in consultation with the party’s Jharkhand incharge and Bihar minister Ram Sewak Singh and co incharge Arun Singh.

Murmu also confirmed that he would contest from two seats—Shikaripara and Majhgaon. Both the seats were held by the JMM in the last assembly.

Meanwhile, the Jharkhand unit of JD(U) on Monday constituted a 36-member Election Campaign Committee (ECC) to expedite its campaigning across the state. The ECC would be headed by former MLC Pravin Singh. The decision to form the ECC was taken at a meeting of the party’s core committee held in Ranchi on Monday. The core committee meeting was attended by JD(U) national secretary Ravindra Singh.

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