JMM mounts pressure on Cong to help form Govt

Raiv/Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi Monday, April 27, 2009

The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has quietly started mounting pressure on the Congress to install the JMM-led Government in the State after May 16 even after knowing well that ground reality in Jharkhand is not supportive at all.

With two vacant seats —Simaria and Poraiyahaat — and a dozen of MLAs contesting general elections in Jharkhand, the election result might affect the total strength of the Assembly. The JMM banked on the Congress to fulfill its promise which it had made to keep the formwer in the Congress-led UPA fold to contest general elections in Jharkhand.

But JMM leadership believes that the result of the general elections will be a blessing in disguise for the party. "Just after the results of the elections are declared in the country, we will pressurise the Congress to install the JMM Government if the UPA Government comes back in power at the Centre. We hope that the Congress will fulfill its promise," said chief whip of the party Mathura Mahto.

However, he was unable to state how the party will garner the magic number. JMM chief Shibu Soren, who contested Jamtara by-election, has just one thing to say that it was the part of the deal. Even the Congress has been in dilemma as the JMM has started sending notes to the Congress camp.

Any prospective Government is impossible to be formed without the support of independents and the RJD. The RJD, which moved out of the UPA fold to contest general elections, is in no mood to support any JMM-led Government. In the House of 82, the RJD has seven MLAs and the previous Government led by Madhu Koda and Soren largely banked upon the RJD to run the Government.

Besides, there are 11 independent MLAs who are crucial to form the Government"Please note we are not going to support any Government led by the JMM or the Congress. We want fresh elections in Jharkhand which is the only solution to end political uncertainty in the State," said a senior RJD leader dashing the hope of the JMM. Stating confidently, a senior JMM leader said that at least two or three MLAs of different parties, including BJP's Arjun Munda, Karia Munda and one independent Madhu Koda, are sure to win the election.

"This number could grow and in a House where the number would probably reduce around 75, it will be easier for us to garner requisite numbers," a senior party functionary sounded this logic. However, Congress sees little chance of the formation of the Government. "Nothing can be said about the next Government. It depends upon whether the UPA comes to power at the Centre and perform well in the election," said a Congress source.