Jharkhand Asembly

Monsoon session: BJP to grill Govt

Vijay Deo Jha RANCHI Friday, September 19, 2008

The coming Monsoon Session of Jharkhand State Assembly, scheduled to start on Friday would prove litmus test for 21-day-old State Government led by Shibu Soren of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, (JMM). Ready to take on Soren on the floor of the house, State BJP, the main opposition in the house would grill the Government on a host of issues.

Even the MLAs of the State Congress could stay neutral at a time the BJP would fire salvo against the newly formed Government. Congress MLAs are not happy for not been inducted in the State cabinet as per the agreement. The first day of the session is likely to end up with the house passing condolence to Ramesh Singh Munda.

The prominent among these are the pending cases of disqualification of nearly a dozen of MLAs, the list includes the name of five suspended BJP MLAs whose disqualification the party vociferously demands.

While talking to The Pioneer, Arjun Munda, leader to the opposition, said that the party was watching the move of the Speaker and it would press for their disqualification under 10th schedule of the Constitution in the coming session.

The party received shot in its arm after the Jharkhand High Court categorically asked the office of the Speaker for the speedy disposal of these cases. "It is up to the House to decide, the Speaker can not take shelter behind by calling it sub-judice," said Munda.

The party which was likely to hold the meeting of the party legislators, on Friday, to chart out the strategy for the coming assembly session; is learnt to raise the issue of the corruption, rise in naxal activities and alleged terrorization of the bureaucracy. The reports of famine at Palamu and the failure of the Government to control the situation have given the BJP a political weapon against the JMM.

On meantime, in a bid to consolidate his political flocks together and specially to assuage the chagrin of nine Congress MLAs, Soren threw dinner party for the UPA allies, on Thursday. However, most of Congress MLAs reported to have not joined the dinner diplomacy. The move has put the JMM in tizzy and even after late evening exercise of top JMM leaders Congress MLAs did not change their mind.

Talking about the move of the Congress during the session, the well placed sources said that the party legislators would hold their meeting on this count on Friday. The legislators who are piqued over the delay are likely to meet Soren to get a final word on that.

The sources confided that the party MLAs might not sit together with the JMM during the Money Bill if Soren fails to give any solid assurance and the dateline regarding their induction in the cabinet. However, it would be tough for the party MLAs to create political jeopardy for Soren, but party can use the occasion to pressurize Shibu to meet their demands. Least they can expect and do.