Jharkhand’s JMM Withdraws From Bihar Polls Over Seat-Sharing Dispute With Allies

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), the ruling party in Jharkhand, abruptly withdrew from contesting the Bihar assembly elections on October 20, 2025, citing a "political conspiracy" orchestrated by its allies in the opposition Mahagathbandhan—Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress. Senior JMM leader and state Tourism Minister Sudivya Kumar announced the decision in Ranchi, emphasising that the move stems from being deprived of viable seats during seat-sharing negotiations.

This development escalates tensions within the INDIA bloc, potentially jeopardising the fragile opposition unity against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) as Bihar heads into multi-phase polls starting November 2025. The withdrawal, coming just days after JMM's initial solo contest declaration, underscores deepening rifts in regional alliances amid high-stakes electoral bargaining.

The fallout began when JMM, led by Chief Minister Hemant Soren, declared on October 18 its intent to independently field candidates in six Bihar constituencies—Chakai, Dhamdaha, Katoria, Manihari, Jamui, and Pirpainti—slated for the second phase of voting on November 11. These seats, primarily in the Seemanchal and eastern regions with significant tribal and minority voter bases, aligned with JMM's Jharkhand roots and its push for Adivasi representation. However, the nomination deadline for these segments fell on Monday, rendering the earlier plan moot without filed papers.

Kumar lambasted RJD and Congress for sidelining JMM, stating, "The RJD and the Congress are responsible for depriving JMM from contesting the election as part of a political conspiracy. JMM will give a befitting reply to this and review its alliance with RJD and Congress." This acrimony reflects broader friction within the Mahagathbandhan, formed in 2022 to oust the NDA from Bihar, where RJD's Tejashwi Yadav holds sway as the largest partner.

JMM's decision reverberates beyond Bihar, threatening the tripartite alliance in Jharkhand, where Soren's government relies on Congress and RJD support to counter BJP's aggressive outreach to tribals. The party, which has governed Jharkhand since 2019 through a rotational chief ministership formula, has historically eyed Bihar's border seats to expand its footprint, much like its 2020 assembly foray where it won one seat. Yet, failed talks expose the fragility of opposition pacts post-2024 Lok Sabha setbacks, where the INDIA bloc underperformed despite anti-incumbency against Nitish Kumar's flip-flops.

Analysts suggest JMM's exit could fragment anti-NDA votes in the targeted seats, benefiting BJP allies like Janata Dal (United), while forcing RJD to recalibrate its strategy in a state where caste arithmetic dominates. Soren, facing his own assembly polls in Jharkhand by year-end, must now balance regional loyalty with national ambitions.

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As Bihar's elections unfold in seven phases through November, JMM's snub signals potential domino effects on the INDIA alliance's cohesion, echoing the 2019 Bihar polls where similar discord cost seats. Kumar's vow for a "befitting reply" hints at retaliatory moves in Jharkhand, possibly including seat reallocations or coalition renegotiations. For Soren, whose administration grapples with mining scams and economic slowdowns, this gambit risks alienating urban voters while rallying core Adivasi support.

With nomination deadlines looming and campaigns intensifying, the episode highlights the high-wire act of Indian regional politics, where personal slights and strategic calculations often eclipse ideological solidarity, setting the stage for a more polarised contest nationwide.

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