FRONT PAGE, NATION


BJP pulls plug; Soren to prove majority in a week

Vijay Deo Jha | Ranchi | Tuesday, May 25, 2010

The BJP, after 27 days of vacillation, finally withdrew support to the coalition Government headed by Chief Minister Shibu Soren in Jharkhand on Monday.

The Soren Government was reduced to minority after a delegation of the party leaders headed by party national general secretary Arjun Munda along with deputy Chief Minister and state BJP president Raghuwar Das handed over the letter of the withdrawal of support to Governor MOH Farook.

Farook summoned Soren on Monday evening and held a closed-door meeting for half an hour. No details have emerged about the discussions inside, but the central agenda was not a matter of too much speculation — Soren was asked to prove his majority on the floor of the House.

On May 18, Soren had refused to resign to pass on the CM’s post to the BJP under rotational formula agreed upon during the joint meeting of JMM-BJP-AJSU-JD (U).

“We sought time to prove our majority and we were given one week…the Government needs to prove majority before or by May 31.

We have a magic number behind,” JMM general secretary and Soren’s MLA son Hemant Soren told the media at the Governor House.

But Hemant doggedly refused to reveal any details or even how he plans to control the magic number after the coalition Government was reduced to minority following the walk-out of the BJP with 18 MLAs.

Hemant refused to comment whether he received an assurance from the Congress (14 MLAs) and the like-minded other secular forces — RJD (5 MLAs) — for a bailout during the trust motion nor his body language suggested a lightning breakthrough on this count.

The Congress is merely happy over the success of its strategy after it engaged dissidents within the JMM for a couple of weeks airing positive notes and frustrated the BJP to the extent where it finally withdrew support to the Soren Government.

The BJP is cross with the Congress for sponsoring dirty politics in Jharkhand. Both Munda and Das said common things to the media. “As the national party the BJP followed the coalition dharma. But our coalition partner —JMM — continued to fluctuate its stand over transfer of power. But it is a matter of sorrow that the Congress party has been indulged in political destabilisation of Jharkhand the day it was formed,” they said. Sources said that BJP did not want to take any final decision before May 25 when it had set a deadline for Soren to resign. “Party even tolerated the conflicting statement of Soren but did not tolerate Hemant’s pro-UPA note since he played a key role to bring the BJP and JMM closer.

Sources in the Congress said that JMM has been in touch with the party trying to work out a composite formula. But the central Congress has not given any indication for go-ahead.

Apart from the much-talked-about President’s Rule, there are three prospects to form the Government. Congress with 14 MLAs, AJSU (5 MLAs), JMM (18 MLAs) and the support of three other independent MLAs might form the Government. But the Congress might fear the wrath of Babulal Marandi of Jharkhand Vikash Morcha which will hardly like Congress’ love-note towards its arch-rival JMM.

There is yet another possibility for the Congress-JMM-JVM combine to form the Government. But sources in the Congress said that Marandi could be persuaded to join the Government only if he is offered the CM’s post.

“I will not back out if initiatives are taken to form the Government. We have our certain views…and if JMM is so much allergic towards the JVM, it can form the Government with the help of Congress and other splintered groups. JVM will act as the watchdog,” Marandi said. A coalition Government headed by JVM will hardly be accepted by the JMM which still holds the key to the Government formation.

Even after no possibility is left for Soren to contest the election, sources in the Congress listed difficulties in ensconcing JMM at the helm of affairs — the CM’s post.

“An influential section of central leadership of the Congress holds negative views about Soren and JMM for his anti-Green Hunt approach…agar Soren ko CM banana hota toh election ke baad bhi Congress ye kar sakti thi,” a senior Congress leader said.

The grammar on the JMM side is suffused with positives; the BJP is using muted, often pessimistic, adjectives for eating a humble pie.