After Koda, JMM issues support withdrawal threat to Manmohan

Vijay Deo Jha /Rajiv Ranchi August 12, 2008

JMM chief Shibu Soren on Monday threatened to withdraw support to the Central as well as the State Governments. Soren has conveyed his message to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and RJD chief Lalu Prasad.

The party has given 48-hour deadline to meet its demands.The decision was taken in a meeting of JMM MPs at New Delhi, also attended by Nalin Soren, minister in the Koda Government, on Tuesday.

The move is taken as a part of the pressure tactic adopted by the party to strike a deal suiting the interest of the JMM. Supriyo Bhattacharya, JMM organisational secretary, who attended this crucial meeting of the party, said the party decided to withdraw support after being ditched by the UPA. "The UPA Government at the Centre breached the promise which it had committed in lieu of the party bailing out the UPA Government during confidence motion," he said.

While accusing Lalu Prasad for playing the game of political vendetta against the JMM, he added that the Lalu forgot the help and support which JMM had extended to him. Meanwhile, JMM has called a meeting of the party MLAs and the Central committee of the party on August 17 at Ranchi to draw further strategy. The JMM chief is camping in New Delhi, trying to fix a meeting with Sonia Gandhi to plead his case.

Soren is expected to meet Sonia Gandhi this night to clarify the stand of the party on this issue. The JMM sources at the national capital said that the top Congress leaders were trying for a rapprochement.

Madhu Koda is firm in his saddle and dismissed the demand of Soren for the post of CM as politically absurd and untimely. He is reported to have a close door meeting with the independent MLAs including Bhanu Pratap Shahi, Kamlesh Kumar Singh, Bandhu Tirkey and Nazam Ansari-- a close aid to Joba Manjhi, on Monday.

The sources in the Congress said that senior party leader Ahmed Patel has assured the support of the Congress to him on the last Sunday and ruled out the possibility of any regime change. Koda, who is camping in New Delhi, met the senior party leader of Congress flanked by some independent MLAs.

The reports coming from New Delhi suggested a possible reshuffle and expansion of the Union Cabinet that could take place within the month of August. Sources said that the JMM took this step after learning the move of the UPA Government about the Cabinet expansion in which Soren possibly could not be inducted in the Union Cabinet as Union Minister of Coal.

Sources confirmed that the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is not agreeing to induct Soren in the Cabinet in the capacity of the Union Minister of Coal. Soren could be offered the Labour portfolio currently presided by Oscar Fernandes, or some other ministry. A section of Congress leader is reported to be trying for the Ministry of Tribal Welfare for him. Sources close to Soren hinted that the former was not ready to join a low profile ministry.