Jharkhand, Mar 15 (ANI): Allies of the United Progressive Alliance
(UPA) are close to finalising the seat sharing talks for Jharkhand for
the upcoming general elections.

"The alliance has not been finalised. As far as the issue of
Jharkhand is concerned, the sitting seats will be contested by
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha  (JMM)
respectively. Talks are still going on for the remaining two seats,"
said Suprio Bhattacharjee, Central Organisation Secretary of JMM.

"The alliance has been finalised and there is no confusion. UPA
holds 12 seats in the state, and on remaining two seats of Hazaribag
and Koderma, RJD have a better influence on it. Talks are going on
between Lalu Prasad Yadav, Congress and JMM. We have also talked with
Shibu Soren," said Manohar Yadav, spokesperson of
RJD.

Jharkhand has 14 Lok Sabha constituencies and UPA won 12 seats in last elections.

The general elections to Lok Sabha are scheduled to be held between April 16 and May 13.

The first phase will be held on April 16 and the second a week
later. The by-poll for the Jamtara seat, which fell vacant following
the resignation of BJP MLA Vishnu Bhaiyya, will be held simultaneously
in the second phase.

In the first phase, six Lok Sabha constituencies Chatra, Koderma,
Khunti, Lohardaga, Palamu and Hazaribagh will go to the polls.

The electorate in the remaining eight Rajmahal, Dhanbad, Godda,
Giridih, Dumka, Ranchi, Jamshedpur and Singbhum will exercise their
franchise on April 23. (ANI)