Will outsider take on Jharkhand RS mantle again?

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi Monday, June 1, 2009

The thought of their party high commands again imposing an outsider and political refugee upon them to fill up two vacancies in the Raya Sabha from Jharkhand is troubling the leaders of the State Congress and the BJP.

Nevertheless, State heavyweights of the UPA who lost elections are trying their best to enter into Parliament once more by getting nomination for the Rajya Sabha. Furkan Ansari, Dhiraj Kuamr Sahu of the Congress and Hemlal Murmu of the JMM are nourishing ambitions to recoup the loss they suffered in the Lok Sabha poll.

However, their clamour may turn to whisper when the decision of their party high command comes in favour of such candidates who have no relation with Jharkhand. "We have not decided the name of the party candidates for RS election. I will soon go to Delhi and request the party high command, Soniaji, to give preference to local faces in filling the two seats," State Congress president Pradeep Balmuchu insisted.

The BJP leaders have not discussed about party candidate for the nomination. "See what happens. Such things are decided by the election committee of the party. It is too early to guess or predict," State BJP spokesperson Sanjay Seth informed monosyllabically. A good number of party leaders admit in their private discourses that such MPs seldom become an asset for the party.

"Burden is a good word," quipped a BJP leader, "because they get their nomination from New Delhi they never come to Jharkhand; never mingle with people or party worker."

Take a look at the number of Rajya Sabha MPs from Jharkhand and the reason for their anxiety will be known. Out of six, four MPS are outsiders, including two MPs ---Yaswant Sinha and Digvijay Singh --- who got elected to Lok Sabha.

BJP MP SS Ahluwalia, a Sikh born and brought up in Asansol, is married to a Bengali and speaks Bengali fluently but never had any role in Bengal politics. He was accommodated in Jharkhand.

When was he seen last time in Ranchi? "It was February 28, this year, when he came along with BJP leader Sushma Swaraj," another senior party leader said in a defensive note. How many questions has he raised about Jharkhand and how much fund could ensure for the developmental projects? "I do not know," exclaimed the same leader.

Nevertheless the website of the Rajya Sabha says that he has raised good number of questions in the Upper House about Jharkhand. Similarly, Congress MP Mabelo Rebello of Goan descent born in Udupi and close to the Goan border with Karnataka, has no connections, even remote, with Jharkhand and its soil. She has been quite shy of asking Jharkhand-centric question in the House.

She is an articulate, seasoned and spirited parliamentarian. When was she seen in Jharkhand? "Last year she had come for a few days…after that we do not know," said a Congress leader. They are obviously assets to their respective parties but do not have any mass base to fall back on election to the Lok Sabha.

JD(U) MP Digvijay Singh on the other hand concentrated more upon his home State Bihar. The BJP, however, corrected this anomaly in the last year RS elections by fielding Jayaprakash Singh, a leader of the State unit of the party. The Congress had no nominee but the party made its choice known for its New Delhi based leader RK Anand, who contested as an independent and lost.

The result of the RS election held last year sprang no surprise. An unknown face, but a business tycoon of Reliance Industries; Parimal Nathwani managed to win as an independent. Those who till yesterday never gave their lungs a rest calling themselves champion of the State had no qualm to vote for him. The JMM was the most.

Nevertheless, Nathwani often tries to make his presence felt through customary Press communiqué and an odd number of development projects for the State capital. His public relation officer, Iqubal Saba maintains that unlike others Nathwani was serious about bringing a change.

Political parties themselves can scarcely be absolved of their responsibility for the failure to groom people who tower over others. If they don't, outsiders will continue to represent the State in national politics. Political refugees, pigeons will again look for a platform in Jharkhand.