No role of industrial houses in Govt formation: Munda
September 20, 2010

VIJAY DEO JHA | RANCHI

Chief Minister Arjun Munda refuted the media reports that industrial houses were behind the Government formation exercise in Jharkhand. Speaking to the media at the Ranchi airport on Sunday afternoon, Munda denied the allegation. "It is a false charge. There was no involvement of the industrial houses in the Government formation exercise," said the Chief Minister.

Munda was reacting to reporting in some of the section in the media that Nagpur-based industrialist Ajay Kumar Sancheti (member of BJP national executive body and close aide of party's national president Nitin Gadkari) and two others --- Tulsi Ram Agarwal (an industrialist from Bhubaneswar) and Sandeep Kalia played active role in Government formation.

The revelation exposed the bickering in the Jharkhand BJP after the State BJP president Raghuwar Das told a TV news channel that Sancheti had asked him to call the party meeting to anoint Munda party candidate for the CM post.

"I do not know and have not seen what Raghuwarji said," Munda said adding: "Sancheti and his family have a long association with the BJP and the RSS. Where is the involvement of industrial houses?

Munda put a lid over the controversy when asked about the involvements of other two. "It is Opposition's ploy to malign the party and the Government. But the party insiders said that the controversy has already snowballed into a major contention.

Munda, nevertheless, appeared unruffled over blunt talk of Das but sources close to him confided that the former has asked his flanks to stay alert to take on Das.

However, Das refused to be labeled as bad catalyst who added one more controversy in the party over Government formation at time when top central leadership, including LK Advani, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitely had disliked Munda's plan to form coalition Government with the help of the JMM.
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Please go through my verbatim over screen. I said nothing over the role of industrial house since I do not know anything about it," Das told The Pioneer.

"Sanchetiji had called me that night. I told him that I will follow the instruction of the party president; be it my resignation or holding legislative meeting of the party to elect a new leader," Das clarified.

Known for their differences, Das and Munda have been airing different views over Government formation from the very first day the party had withdrawn its support to the Shibu Soren Government in April.

Interestingly, BJP sources expressed no surprise over the role of industrial houses behind Government. "Nowadays industrial houses playing active role in Government formation and even as chief negotiator is an acceptable phenomenon," a senior party leader said.

"In the month of the April when the BJP was trying to renegotiate with the JMM to form Government; same people and houses were actively backing the effort," he pointed out.

"The only difference is that last time industrialists and people including Sancheti had backed Das for the CM post even after he enjoyed no support of party MLAs. This time Munda wrested the opportunity because he emerged as the front runner," the leader said.