Soren still in a fix; Tundi appears viable option

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi Friday, November 28, 2008

Till now JMM chief Shibu Soren has kept his UPA counterparts and Opposition NDA guessing about his probable constituency from where he would like to enter in the State Assembly. Guruji is thinking of some other constituency to contest from. However, it is neither Tamar where the by-election would be held on December 29, nor Jamtara where the suspended BJP MLA Vishnu Bhaiya offered to vacate his seat for the smooth passage of Soren into the Assembly.

Well-placed sources in the JMM said that Soren might choose Tundi constituency currently represented by JMM legislator Mathura Prasad Mahto. The era of speculation prevailing from the last three months about the probable constituency of Soren would end within a couple of days. On last Wednesday, Soren while interacting with the media had said: “I will speak to the media after a few days.” Not stating clearly, he hinted that Tamar might not be in his list from where he could contest.

Going by his own statements, Soren is left with Jamtara to seek election. But “Jamtara or no Jamtara”, Soren cannot decide it alone as the State Congress would not like to give away its traditional seat. The sources in the Congress said that the party might not support if Soren wishes to contest from Jamtara. “He is a tribal leader and he should contest from Tamar rather from Jamtara,” said a senior Congress leader.

But amid this confusion, the State BJP is left with a daunting task ahead: Who will take on the JMM stalwart Shibu Soren if he wishes to contest election from Jamtara. The party is left with no stalwart within its fold who could at least throw a decent contest to Soren.

Monitoring the move of the JMM and its own suspended party MLA, the BJP has not yet decided the name. But well-placed party sources said that the party was likely to field Tarun Gupta, president BJP Jamtara. Meanwhile, the suspended BJP MLA hinted that he was likely to resign from his seat any time in favour of Soren. The BJP will be left with the task to save its seat which it had won by a margin of 3,991 votes.

Wished not to be quoted, a senior party leader accepted that the party had no such popular figure to throw challenge to Soren. Hence the party fielding a candidate against Soren would be nothing but a mere ceremony. Refusing the contention, the party lacked leaders of the stature of Soren, the president of the State BJP, Pashupati Nath Singh, said: “Personality might be a matter but it cannot overshadow the ideology and party principles. The BJP has no such problems of candidates, let Soren decide his constituency first.”