Battle Lines Drawn: Congress-JMM Gears Up for Jharkhand Showdown

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi met Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren to prepare for the state's Assembly polls. The Congress is working on a seat-sharing deal with the JMM as tensions rise in the INDIA bloc following their Haryana defeat. Other allies demand better cooperation.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi held strategic discussions with Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren in anticipation of the upcoming Assembly elections in the state.

This meeting, held at Kharge's residence, followed a surprising Congress defeat in the Haryana Assembly polls, raising concerns about alliance dynamics within the INDIA bloc as elections loom in Maharashtra and Jharkhand.

With the Congress, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Rashtriya Janata Dal, and Left parties seeking to maintain power, negotiations on a seat-sharing arrangement are underway, amid criticism from other INDIA bloc parties over the Congress's perceived solo approach.

(With inputs from agencies.)