Politics makes strange bedfellows and it does so all the more in Jharkhand where nothing surprises as over the years the state has been throwing up strange permutations and combinations.
As Lok Sabha elections inch closer, the spectacle of unpredictable politics is at full play in the tribal state.
Convicted former chief minister Madhu Koda's wife Geeta Koda is all set to join Congress in Ranchi on December 28, the foundation Day of Congress as the ruling party at the Centre seems to have shed its inhibitions about siding with "tainted" Koda apparently due to political compulsions ahead of next Lok Sabha polls in which BJP is posing a tough challenge.
Former BJP chief minister and JVM (P) leader Babulal Marandi, who had fought the last assembly poll in Jharkhand in alliance with Congress has stitched up an alliance with with JD(U) for the next general elections.
Congress, which has for long been maintaining distance with Lalu Prasad's RJD in Bihar is already participating in an alliance government in Jharkhand with JMM and RJD and there are clear indications that the three parties will contest the next Lok Sabha polls together with Congress contesting on nine Lok Sabha seats, JMM on four and RJD one.
Out of the 14 Lok Sabha seats in Jharkhand, Congress currently has only one member Subodh Kant Sahay from Ranchi. JMM has two members. They fought the last general elections separately.
In 2004 Lok Sabha polls, when both the parties had fought in alliance, Congress had won six and JMM four seats. RJD and CPI were also in the alliance and they had got two and one seat respectively bringing 12 seats in UPA I kitty then.
Congress hopes to repeat the magic this time as well.
JVM (P), which had forged an alliance with Congress for the 2009 Assembly polls, parted ways with it in April last year over the FDI issue, a separation, which also worked towards Congress-JMM coming together.
