JMM says it won't contest Bihar polls, blames 'political conspiracy' by Congress-RJD for decision
Ranchi (PTI): Jharkhand's ruling JMM on Monday announced that it would not contest the assembly elections in neighbouring Bihar, claiming that the decision was taken in the wake of a "political conspiracy" by its allies RJD and Congress, which deprived it of seats as part of the Mahagathbandhan.
Speaking to reporters, senior JMM leader Sudivya Kumar said his party will "review" the alliance with the Congress and RJD in Jharkhand, and give a befitting reply to the "snub".
The announcement came barely two days after the Hemant Soren-led party said it would go solo in Bihar and contest the elections in six assembly segments, as seat-sharing talks failed.
"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," said Kumar, Jharkhand's tourism minister.
JMM on Saturday had announced that it will contest Chakai, Dhamdaha, Katoria, Manihari, Jamui and Pirpainti seats, which are slated to go to polls in the second phase of the Bihar elections on November 11.
The deadline for the submission of nomination papers in these seats was Monday.
Kumar said JMM had helped RJD in the 2015 Bihar elections.
"The JMM had given seven seats to the RJD in the 2019 Jharkhand elections. Only one candidate won, and he was made a minister in the Jharkhand government," he said.
"In the Bihar election of 2020, the JMM was assured of three seats by the RJD and Congress, but later they divided the seats among themselves, deceiving us. In last year's Jharkhand polls, the JMM left a respectable number of seats for the Congress, RJD and the Left, but the party was humiliated again in the 2025 Bihar election," he added.
Kumar said the "political conspiracy" hatched by the leading parties of the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar has hurt the sentiments of the people.
"Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) is a big force and a strong voice of tribals in the country. The betrayal will not be forgotten," he said.
Kumar also said that Congress should have fought for the interests of JMM in Bihar, but it did not.
He said the JMM leadership held a long discussion on the seat-sharing arrangement with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on October 7.
"We were told the final decision will be taken on the seats after discussion with Hemant Soren," he added.
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NEET student hangs self in Rajasthan's Sikar
Jaipur (PTI): A student preparing for the NEET examination allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in a rented room in Rajasthan's Sikar on Friday, police said.
According to the police, the student allegedly hanged himself from a ceiling fan using his sister's scarf while one sister was attending coaching classes and the other was in the bathroom.
He had appeared in the NEET UG exam 2026, which was cancelled due to paper leak, they said.
Udyog Nagar SHO Rajesh Kumar said that the deceased, identified as Pradeep Meghwal, was a resident of Kanika ki Dhani village in Jhunjhunu's Gudha Gaudji area.
He had been living in a rented room in Sikar's Jaldhari Nagar area with his two sisters while preparing for NEET over the last three years.
His elder sister later found him hanging and informed the landlord and police after bringing him down, officials said.
The SHO said the body was kept at SK Hospital mortuary, and a postmortem had not been conducted.
The student's father, Rajesh Kumar Meghwal, told police that Pradeep's NEET examination had gone well and the family was expecting him to score around 650 marks.
Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot expressed grief over the incident and linked it to anxiety among students after reports of irregularities and paper leaks in NEET 2026.
Pilot said repeated paper leak incidents and cancellation of examinations were affecting students' mental health and demanded a time-bound investigation and strict action against those responsible.
