JAMSHEDPUR: Political fissures over seat-sharing within the opposition’s Grand Alliance led by Congress seem to be deepening as the Lok Sabha poll dates come closer.In the latest development, Congress now wants to contest from Jamshedpur and Singhbhum seats, which in principle was given to JMM during the initial talks on seat-sharing for the alliance. However, grassroots workers of both the parties say they are not ready to part with the seats at any cost.Talking to TOI, JMM leader Supriyo Bhattcharya said the party will definitely contest from Jamshedpur and Singhbhum seats but they are yet to finalize their candidates’ list. He said, “The list will be ready by March 19 or 20.” Party insiders said JMM’s executive committee meeting scheduled on March 18 will finalise the list.In the meantime, Congress sources said the party wants its state president Ajoy Kumar to contest from Jamshepur and field Geeta Koda, wife of former chief minister Madhu Koda from the Singhbhum constituency. Former minister and veteran Congress leader Banna Gupta said he will take up the issue with party chief Rahul Gandhi and pursue with him to convince the alliance partners that Congress has high chances of winning from the two constituencies.Gupta said the morale of the party workers are high and added that they are sure of Ajoy and Geeta’s victories, if they contest from these seats. Recalling the popularity Ajoy Kumar, Gupta said people love their former super cop who had given them the much-needed relief from the mafia-raj in the 90s. He added that JMM should readily give Jamshedpur and Singhbhum to Congress.Ajoy had won the Jamshedpur seat in the 2011 bypoll on a JVM(P) ticket. He, however, lost in 2014 by around one lakh votes. Ajoy then switched sides and joined Congress.Meanwhile, the JMM camp is also upbeat about contesting the polls from the two seats. The party’s Bahragora MLA Kunal Sarangi is the frontrunner to get the ticket for Jamshedpur seat. JMM sources said Suman Mahato and Champai Soren are also in the race for the seat. Mahato had won the Jamshedpur seat in the 2007 bypoll on a JMM ticket. The seat fell vacant when Maoists had gunned down her husband and MP Sunil Mahato on March 4, 2007 near Ghatshila. Sunil Mahato had won the seat on a JMM ticket in the 2004 polls.JMM leaders said Jamshedpur has traditionally been in the hands of either JMM or BJP after the 80s. The seat went to JMM for the first time in 1989 with its candidate Sailendra Mahato going on to retain the seat in the 1991 polls, too. From the first polls in 1957, JMM won the seat four times.On the other hand, Mohindra Kumar Ghosh won the Jamshedpur seat (first election after creation of this constituency) in 1957 on a Congress ticket. The party, too, has won the Jamshedpur seat four times. The last time, it won was in 1984 with its candidate Gopeshwar.

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