65th birthday gift brings down Soren

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi Monday, January 12, 2009 Front page

The high-voltage political drama over much-speculated resignation of Chief Minister Shibu Soren seems to have come to the conclusion after Soren announced his intention to resign from the post of the Chief Minister on Monday. He is expected to resign early in the day, with a condition that there is no compromise on Champai Soren getting the Chief Minister's post.

On Sunday, Soren celebrated his 65th birthday but his fortune had something else as his birthday gift --- his resignation from the Chief Minister's post. His political size was already shortened after his defeat in Tamar by-election and his very late decision to resign did not compensate to it.

"After consulting my party workers and MLAs, I decided to tender my resignation. But at the same time I want to make it clear that the JMM would not compromise on the name of the next Chief Minister - Champai Soren - as decided by the Central Executive Committee of the party," Soren said this while addressing a Press conference at his residence, on Saturday.

Soren's UPA partners might find it an occasion to celebrate and flash victory sign but Soren dropped thick hint of political uncertainty and deadlock Jharkhand could be facing if other UPA parties did not agree to that name. It means the State would go under the President's Rule.

Soren, who was all set to fly to New Delhi on Sunday to get the name of Champai Soren approved by the central leaders of the UPA suddenly dropped his plan and decided to remain in Ranchi and consult among his party MLAs after deputy Chief Minister Stephen Marandi threw gauntlet on Soren in a late night Press conference on Saturday asking Soren be dignified and step down from his post.

Meanwhile, disgruntled Sudhir Mahato is reported to have left for Delhi on Sunday evening. Soren called the meeting of the UPA leadership at his official residence in the evening. The meeting marked the total aversion of the UPA allies (minus JMM) towards Soren and continued lame plea to stay in power - none of the Congress, the RJD and the independent MLAs turned in the meeting.

For his solace, suspended BJP MLA Vishnu Prasad Bhaiya, who offered his resignation from Jamtara Assembly constituency to make way for Soren could be seen at CM House and the rest of the place was occupied by the media.

Battle of words continued on Sunday when Marandi and other independent ministers served demarche on Soren either to resign by this Saturday night or face nightmare. The group headed by the erstwhile Chief Minister Madhu Koda, who boycotted the meeting of the called by Soren, said that Soren had no locus standi to call any such meeting as he was not the chairperson of Jharkhand UPA Steering Committee.

The sources close to Soren said that he was likely to submit his resignation to the Governor of the state Syed Sibte Razi on Saturday evening. But the authoritative sources within the Governor's secretariat said that Soren did ask for any appointment to meet the Governor.

"As you media people are running on speculation we have the same condition here…the news channels have been flashing the breakings that Soren had an appointment with the Governor but this is not the fact," a senior official of the Governor's secretariat said this.

It largely turned a rumour as the sources in the Chief Minister's House confirmed later on that Soren had no such appointment with the Governor. If the top JMM sources are to be believed, the Central UPA leaders were apprised of the decision of the JMM which decided to elect Champai. But the central leadership categorically asked Soren to step down.