By IANS,
Ranchi : The Congress described the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) as “natural allies” as the fifth phase of assembly polls concluded Friday.
Congress has fought the Jharkhand assembly polls in alliance with the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik (JVM-P) floated by former Bharatiya Janata Party leader and ex-chief minister Babulal Marandi.
“JMM and RJD are our natural allies,” said union Food Processing Minister and senior Congress leader Subodh Kant Sahay while addressing a press conference here.
Sahay is the Lok Sabha MP from Ranchi.
But he was quick to add: “Congress and JVM-P will get absolute majority in the assembly poll.”
The JMM has fought all the 81 assembly seats in the poll alone by breaking its alliance with the Congress. The Congress, on the other hand, snubbed RJD and cemented an alliance with JVM-P. The RJD has joined hands with the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) of Ram Vilas Paswan and Left parties.
Asked about seeking support from JMM and RJD, Sahay said: “JMM and RJD are secular forces and they will not cement any post-poll alliance with BJP. Both JMM and RJD are our natural allies.”
The five-phase Jharkhand assembly polls, which began Nov 25, concluded Friday. Votes will be counted Dec 23.