Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], June 6 (ANI): As the political mercury climbs ahead of the June 18 Rajya Sabha biennial elections, the Jharkhand political landscape is witnessing intensified activity, with major parties recalibrating their strategies for the two vacant seats in the state.

On Saturday, high-profile Congress observers, Bhupesh Baghel and Ajay Sharma, convened a pivotal meeting with Chief Minister Hemant Soren in Ranchi. The discussions were aimed at consolidating the ruling coalition’s position. Emerging from the deliberations, Ajay Sharma expressed firm optimism regarding the alliance’s electoral prospects.

Speaking to the media, Sharma asserted, “The alliance will win both the seats,” signalling unity within the coalition ranks.

Ahead of Congress observers arrival, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) announced its candidate for the Rajya Sabha seat, signalling a possible reduction in tensions between the JMM and Congress.

JMM leaders had expressed their intention to contest both vacant seats, while Congress had already declared its candidate. The latest developments indicate that both parties are moving towards a mutual understanding ahead of the polls.

The Congress on Thursday released its list of seven candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, scheduled to be held on June 18.The list includes party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, who has been nominated from Karnataka.The party has also nominated Mansoor Ali Khan and Pawan Khera from Karnataka, Meenakshi Natarajan from Madhya Pradesh.

Neeraj Dangi has been nominated from Rajasthan, while Praveen Chakravarty has been fielded from Tamil Nadu and Pranav Jha from Jharkhand.

Earlier, on June 3, the Election Commission issued a notification for biennial elections to 24 Rajya Sabha seats from ten states.This includes four seats each in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat, three seats each in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, two seats in Jharkhand, and one seat each in Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur and Meghalaya.

The filing of nominations has begun, and the last date is June 8. Notification was also issued for the Rajya Sabha bypoll for a seat each in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Odisha. (ANI)