UPA allies seek their pound of flesh in LS polls

Vijay Deo Jha/ Rajiv, Ranchi Sunday, November 2, 2008

Eying the Lok Sabha poll, major allies of the UPA Government led by Shibu Soren have started demanding their pound of flesh.

State chieftains of the UPA allies have a very limited say in seat sharing exercise that could be probably undertaken in the coming two months. It is learnt that most of them have conveyed their demands to the party high commands.

The Indian National Congress, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Rastriya Janta Dal (RJD), the constituents of the UPA Government, have staked their claims to contest from more parliamentary seats. However, the allies wanted to retain such parliamentary constituencies, which were won by various parties. Meanwhile, the JMM has decided to convene a meeting of the 'central committee' to decide its claim over different parliamentary seats.

Well-placed sources said JMM was mulling over contesting maximum number of seats in the State irrespective of claims coming out of different UPA quarters. A couple of days ago, the RJD decided to claim Koderma and Giridih LS constituencies besides Chatra and Palamu where it won the elections last time. RJD State chief Gautam Sagar Rana said his party had performed outstandingly in the last Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections.

"The party has decided to contest the General Election from the Giridih seat. We performed well in the four Assembly constituencies against six such seats. We have done outstandingly in Bagodar, Rajdhanwar, Gandey and Giridih," Rana told The Pioneer. The party is learnt to have already decided to field Annapurna Devi from Koderma constituency.

Meanwhile, the State Congress too joined the chorus by staking claim over Koderma, Hazaribagh and Chatra parliamentary constituencies. While confirming the stated move of the State Congress, party spokesperson Alok Dubey said the party wanted to field its candidates in these constituencies. "But we do not want cracks in the UPA regime. The matter would be settled when the leaders of the UPA allies discuss this issue." he added.The Congress does not seem in a mood of any compromise on the issue of Hazaribagh.

But the party's claim over Chatra is enough to create ruffle among RJD leadership as Dhirendra Agrawal of RJD represents the constituency. To ward off any deadlock, a section of party leaders want RJD to leave its claim over Chatra and allow the smooth sailing of Congress. In return, Congress would back RJD candidate in Koderma. But RJD finds little merit in this formula. "Congress too should leave claim over Godda parliamentary constituency where the RJD has emerged stronger", said Rana.