Kissa Kursi ka

Cong MLAs set deadline for ministerial berths

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi RANCHI Tuesday, September 16, 2008

The constant delay and dilly-dallying by the Jharkhand Government in inducting two Congress legislators in the State Cabinet and passing reins of nearly a dozen of boards and corporation to the party legislators and others has provoked the party.

Issuing the first release of threat to 19-day-old Government, Congress legislators on Monday asked the Chief Minister to give a final official version regarding their claim by Friday. The party legislators would be free to decide their way about supporting the Government.

In lieu of the support extended to the JMM, the party legislators are eager to join the State Government. This does not auger well for Soren as the Monsoon Session of Jharkhand State Assembly would start from August 19, the deadline set by party legislators.

Not mentioning the 'withdrawal of support' in explicit term, Niel Tirkey, Congress MLA from Simdega, threatened the MLAs would rethink over their relation and dimension of support to Soren if the former fails to implement the promise of two ministerial berths and a dozen of boards and corporations within the stipulated date. Irrespective of what party high command and in-charge State Congress react over of their belligerent stand, Tirkey alleged that the party was forced to adopt a tough line only after learning that Soren was not willing to fulfill the promise.

The party legislators who have been mounting pressure upon Soren for this failed to elicit any response even after several meetings with him. Even though the party is learnt to have prepared the list of nominees; the JMM so far developed cold feet on this issue.

Countering the veiled threat of the Congress, Supriyo Bhattacharya, organizational secretary, JMM, said that Soren was ready give the Congress its due share in boards and corporations and it was up to Congress to send the name. Referring to deal about the change of guards in Jharkhand too in the presence of senior Congress leader Pranav Mukharjee he said that Soren did not make any promise in writing to induct any Congress MLA in the ministry.

But contrary to the claim, Tirkey said that as per agreement reached between the JMM and the Congress, Soren in the presence of Ajay Maken, in-charge State Congress agreed to induct two Congress MLAs in the state cabinet besides nearly dozen of boards.

Giving an insight of the deal a senior party leader revealed that Soren agreed to withdraw three of JMM ministers of erstwhile Madhu Koda government to accommodate three MLAs from the Congress and RJD respectivelyHowever Pradeep Balmuchu, president, State Congress, was not available for his comment but party sources confided that Balmuchu who is in New Delhi in connection with the meeting of the AICC Working Committee is learnt to have conveyed the mood of the party MLAs to senior party leaders in Delhi.