In a move aimed at preserving alliance unity, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) on Saturday announced only one candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, stepping back from its earlier plan to field nominees for both seats and potentially derail Congress's prospects.

The party named senior leader and Latehar MLA Baidyanath Ram as its candidate for one of the two Rajya Sabha seats from Jharkhand. The announcement was made by senior JMM leader and spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya, who described Ram as a committed party worker who has played an important role in strengthening the representation of tribal and backward communities.

The decision comes a day after the ruling alliance in Jharkhand appeared headed for a confrontation over seat-sharing. At a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Friday, JMM leaders had expressed strong resentment over Congress naming Pranav Jha as its Rajya Sabha candidate without consulting the party.

The JMM had subsequently hinted that it could field candidates for both seats, a move that would have significantly complicated the electoral prospects of the Congress nominee and risked deepening tensions within the INDIA bloc in Jharkhand.

With Ram expected to file his nomination on June 8 and Congress having already announced Jha, an AICC secretary and close aide of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, as its nominee, the alliance now appears set to win the Rajya Sabha polls comfortably.

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Acknowledging differences over seat-sharing, Bhattacharya said the decision was taken after taking into account the prevailing political situation and the need to maintain unity within the ruling alliance. He also pointed out that no party has the numbers to comfortably secure the election of two Rajya Sabha candidates on its own.

The climbdown is significant because the JMM, with 34 MLAs in the 81-member Assembly, has enough numbers to comfortably win one seat on its own. However, a decision to contest both seats could have upset the alliance's arithmetic and opened the door for the opposition NDA to benefit from a split in INDIA bloc votes.

The Hemant Soren-led alliance currently enjoys the support of 56 MLAs in the Assembly. Under the existing numbers, Congress is dependent on support from its INDIA alliance partners to secure the second seat.

The numbers in the Jharkhand Assembly place the ruling INDIA bloc in a comfortable position ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections on June 18. The alliance, comprising the JMM (34), Congress (16), RJD (4) and the Left parties (2), commands the support of 56 MLAs, enough to comfortably secure both Rajya Sabha seats.

With 34 MLAs, the JMM alone has more than the 28 votes required to elect a Rajya Sabha member, giving it a decisive advantage in the contest. Congress, however, with only 16 MLAs, is dependent on support from its alliance partners to ensure the victory of its nominee.

On the opposition side, the NDA has 24 MLAs, including 21 from the BJP and one each from the AJSU, JD(U) and LJP. Independent MLA Jairam Mahato holds the remaining vote.

Any split within the INDIA bloc could have improved the NDA's chances in the contest for the second seat, making the JMM's decision to field only one candidate a crucial boost for alliance unity.