The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) on Saturday nominated former minister Baidyanath Ram as its candidate for one of the two Rajya Sabha seats in the state going to polls on June 18.Former minister Baidyanath Ram. (HT Photo)Ram, a former BJP leader who joined the JMM ahead of the 2019 assembly elections, is the party’s vice president and the tallest Dalit face. He has represented the Latehar assembly seat, which is reserved for scheduled castes, three times previously.JMM general secretary and spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya told reporters that Ram will file his nomination papers in the presence of chief minister Hemant Soren on June 8.“We had authorised our party president to decide on the party candidate. After due deliberations, the decision has been made to nominate Baidyanath Ram, a former minister, party vice-president and a strong face of the Dalit community, as the party candidate for the Rajya Sabha election,” Bhattacharya said.On the demands of the party cadre to field candidates for both seats, Bhattacharya said their party president would decide on it after due consultations.“The situation in the Jharkhand assembly is such that parties can field only one candidate. Congress leaders are expected to meet the chief minister. He will make a decision after due deliberation with stakeholders. For now, it is clear that with 34 MLAs, we will ensure Baidyanath Ram’s victory,” he added.During a meeting chaired by the chief minister on Friday, the ruling JMM legislators demanded that the party contest both seats going to the polls.The Congress on the other hand had on Friday announced senior party functionary Pranav Jha as its candidate for one of the two Rajya Sabha seats from the state. Both Jha and Baidyanath Ram bought their nomination papers on Saturday and will file them on Monday, the last day for filing.Meanwhile, AICC observers for the Rajya Sabha polls, Bhupesh Baghel and Ajay Sharma, arrived in Ranchi on Saturday and met Chief Minister Hemant Soren, hours after the JMM announced Ram as its candidate for the polls.Baghel and Sharma met the CM to seek the JMM’s support for the Congress candidate Jha.Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Baghel said the alliance was united and would win both seats. “We had a very constructive discussion. The alliance is intact. As far as the sentiments of the JMM workers is concerned, it’s natural. However, the leader ultimately makes the final call. INDIA bloc would win both the seats,” he added.Political suspense magnified as the JMM and Congress leadership ironed out the creases for the second seat, with at least three more popular figures buying nomination papers on Saturday. Sources in the Jharkhand Assembly said the list includes Rajya Sabha MP from Andhra Pradesh Parimal Nathwani, former Rajya Sabha MP from Andhra Pradesh Vijay Sai Reddy and BJP leader Gourav Vallabh.While the BJP has yet to name its candidate, a representative of Vallabh, who was present at party headquarters in Ranchi, bought nomination papers on his behalf. Adding spice to the run up to the contest, representatives of Nathwani and Reddy also bought nomination papers on their behalf. If any one of them files a nomination and remains in the race, the second seat will open up for grabs and possible horse trading can’t be ruled out.To ensure victory, a candidate must secure a minimum of 28 first-preference votes in the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly. In the Jharkhand Assembly, the INDIA bloc has 56 members: comprising 34 from the JMM, 16 from the Congress, four from the RJD and two from CPI(ML) Liberation.The NDA has 24 MLAs -- 21 from the BJP and one each from the LJP (Ram Vilas), AJSU Party and JD(U). Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha has one MLA.