Jharkhand NDA fears murder of democracy

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi August 23, 2008

Tightening further its noose around the UPA in Jharkhand, legislators of Jharkhand NDA, led by the BJP, staged a dharna in front of the office of Assembly Speaker Alamgir Alam on Friday, and demanded disposal of the cases of disqualifications of nearly 10 MLAs before the trust vote on August 25.

The NDA took the step after the Speaker failed to meet their demand to take a decision within 24 hours. The NDA has decided not allow the UPA to repeat Goa in Jharkhand. The BJP has asked the Speaker to disqualify five suspended MLAs of the party for violating the Anti-Defection Law.

It asked Governor Syed Sibte Razi to instruct the Speaker to take the decision in the light of the 10th Schedule of the Constitution without delay.In a meeting attended by party MLAs and State BJP president Pashupati Nath Singh, the State BJP through a resolution authorised Arjun Munda, the leader to the Opposition, to take a decision on the fate of the five suspended MLAs of the party whose cases of disqualification are pending with the Speaker.

Vishnu Bhaiya and Manohar Tekriwal, the two suspended party MLAs have already reiterated their support to Shibu Soren while other three other suspended MLAs of the party - Pradeep Yadav, Kunti Singh and Ravindra Roy have not disclosed their mind.

In a late night development, the BJP legislators held a meeting in the State Capital. Sources hinted that the party might take legal recourses if the UPA and Soren, the current aspirant for the post of CM, adopt foul means to cobble majority with the help of the five BJP defectors. Not willing to disclose further the game plan of the party, the well-placed sources said that the party would hold a crucial meeting the day before the trust vote once Munda returns from abroad.

Later in a joint Press conference of the BJP and JD(U), State BJP president Pashupati Nath Singh and State JD(U) president Jaleswar Mahto demanded the Governor not to invite any party to form the Government in the State without proper physical verification of the claim of the support.

While criticising the State Congress and Rastriya Janta Dal for creating political instability in the State, Singh blamed that both the warring political dispensations (Chief Minister Madhu Koda and Shibu Soren) in Jharkhand were trying to foray other political parties through split.

Not hiding the concern towards a possible foul play and the misuse of the Anti-Defection Law during the trust vote similar on the line of year 2005 when the court had to intervene in the matter, the NDA threatened to launch agitation in Jharkhand if the Speaker and the Governor failed to stop the murder of democracy. Meanwhile the NDA have demanded fresh elections in the State alleging that both Koda and Soren had lost the trust of the people. "Fresh elections are the only solution to the current political uncertainty of the State," said Mahto.