The Congress’s first list of candidates, which was released in New Delhi on Tuesday, has caused some heartburn to leaders from two of its erstwhile allies, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and RJD, who claim that it will cause a split in secular votes in the Assembly polls.

“By putting up its nominees against many of our candidates, it dreams to spread its base. But in the process, it is going to spoil unity among secular forces,” said JMM general secretary Suprio Bhattacharya. RJD spokesperson Manohar Yadav, too, said, “The RJD central leadership will chalk out a comprehensive plan to deal with the Congress’s attempt break secular unity.”

For the 81 constituencies, the Congress’s list comprises 26 candidates, including several new faces such as jewellery store owner Pradeep Tulsyan (Ranchi) and former Ranchi University vice-chancellor Dr Ram Dayal Munda (Tamar-ST). In Khunti (ST), it has given the ticket to Roshan Surin, who is the publisher and editor of a daily —Jharkhand Newsline — and son of late Congress MP Sushila Hansda. In Hatia, RJD’s Manohar Yadav will be pitted against the Congress’s sitting MLA Gopal S N Shahdeo.