JMM not opposed to poll alliance: Soren

RANCHI: The JMM is yet to decide whether it would go for an alliance with opposition parties or not. The party supremo says, it is not opposed to an alliance, but it wants that other parties should recognise the importance of JMM in the state.
Talking to newsmen at a party meeting of district-level workers here, JMM supremo Shibu Soren said that only after meeting with all the party workers both at the district and block level, he would be in a position to determine the party''s stand and then decide about the alliance.He also said that he is yet to ascertain the reason behind the willingness of RJD and Congress to join hands with him. "I must know first what exactly they want, only then I would be in a position to comment," he said.
However, speaking to TNN, party national president Mukti Nath Upadhyay said, the party is ready to go for an alliance only with like-minded parties, with a view to defeating the BJP. "But other parties need to do some soul searching before they enter into an alliance, which should be honest," he said.
"The minimum demand of JMM is of 8 seats in Jharkhand, 3 in West Bengal and 3 in Orissa. Only if other parties agree to this demand there could be an alliance."
However, JMM sources said, the party is ready to give up eight seats in the state and contest only on six seats, which include Jamshedpur, Dumka, Koderma, Rajmahal, Simdega and Godda. Sources also said, an alliance with the Congress would depend only if it gives up the claim on Koderma and Rajmahal seats.