Former BJP MLA Kedar Hazra, AJSU leader Umakant Rajak join JMM

Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], October 18 : Former BJP MLA from Jamua in Jharkhand, Kedar Hajra and former vice president of All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) and ex-MLA from Chandankyari Umakant Rajak joined the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) on Friday ahead of the upcoming polls in Jharkhand.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren welcomed both the leaders into the JMM party.
In a post on X, CM Hemant Soren said, "Two hard-working leaders of Jharkhand, Kedar Hazra ji and brother Umakant Rajak ji, along with their thousands of supporters are heartily welcomed into the JMM family, Johar. Jharkhand will win!"
Currently, JMM is the single largest party in the state, being represented by 30 MLAs. Bharatiya Janata Party has 25 MLAs while Congress has 16.Congress and JMM have announced their alliance for the polls, with seat sharing being finalized soon.
Earlier, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren had hit out at the BJP, claiming that the party had looted the state for over 20 years.
"In December 2019, with the blessings of the great people of Jharkhand, I took over the reins of the state. My sole purpose was to irrigate the tree of Jharkhand and strengthen its roots. The BJP had looted this tree with both hands for 20 years. It had dried it up," said Soren in a post on X.
Jharkhand is set to vote in two phases in assembly polls to be held on November 13 and 20 while Maharashtra will go in for a single-phase election on November 20, the Election Commission announced.
Votes will be counted in the two states on November 23.
A total of 2.60 crore voters are eligible to cast votes in Jharkhand and there are 1.31 crore male and 1.29 crore female voters. The state has 11.84 lakh first-time voters and there are 66.84 lakh young voters.
The last date for making nominations for the two phases is October 25 and 29, the date for scrutiny of nominations is October 28 and 30 and the last date for withdrawal of candidatures is October 30 and November 1 respectively.