Already JMM and its alliance partners are under the banner of I.N.D.I.A having decided on a joint candidate.

Their rival, BJP-led NDA has decided to put up an AJSU candidate in Dumri where the Assembly by-poll will be held on September 5. 

The AJSU will declare its candidate soon. But there is nothing hidden about the JMM and I.N.D.I.A candidate who is Bebi Devi. 

Bebi Devi is the wife of former JMM education minister Jagarnath Mahto, whose death had necessitated the bypoll. Last month, Bebi Devi was inducted as a minister by the Hemant Soren government. On Saturday, I.N.D.I.A held its first meeting on the by-poll at CM Soren’s residence. 

“The alliance has decided to hold a joint campaign for the by-election,” says senior Congress leader Alamgir Alam. Now, the BJP has decided to back the All Jharkhand Students’ Union and resolved to contest the by-poll jointly under the NDA banner. 

As per the electoral records, NDA allies BJP and AJSU were enemies in 2019. As a result, AJSU candidate Yashoda Devi and BJP candidate Pradeep Kumar Sahu gained 19.58 % (36,840) and 19.14 % (36,013)votes respectively. 

Despite gaining over 38 percent (72,853)votes, both AJSU and BJP candidates were defeated by JMM whose candidate late Jagarnath Mahato who had received 72,128 votes.