Himanta Biswa Sarma steps in to mend BJP rift with Satyanand Jha ahead of Jharkhand polls

Assam Chief Minister and BJP's co-in-charge for the Jharkhand polls, Himanta Biswa Sarma, visited Jamtara to persuade veteran party member Satyanand Jha to withdraw his independent nomination for the upcoming Jharkhand assembly elections.

"This time it is very important for the BJP to form the government; it is important for Jharkhand," Sharma said.

Jha filed as an independent candidate after being denied a BJP ticket, creating potential vote-splitting concerns for the party. "We could give ticket to only one person from the party, we could not give ticket to him, so Jha ji got angry and announced to contest the election as an independent candidate. He also filed his nomination," Sarma said.

Sarma revealed that the party has offered Jha a significant position in either the state or central government as compensation.

"He is a very old worker," Sarma noted. "We have said that he will be given a good and respected post in the state or central government. He will take a decision after talking to his workers."

The development comes amid intensifying electoral preparations, with the BJP leading a coalition including AJSU, JD(U), and LJP. The alliance has divided their electoral presence across the 81-member assembly, with BJP contesting 68 seats, AJSU fielding candidates in 10 constituencies, and their smaller partners competing in three seats combined.

The ruling Congress-JMM alliance, supported by RJD and CPI(ML), presents the main opposition in the two-phase elections scheduled for November 13 and 20.

The electoral stakes are particularly high this year, with 2.60 crore registered voters including 11.84 lakh first-time voters preparing to cast their ballots. Results will be announced on November 23.