Munda rushes to Delhi for party’s nod

Thursday, October 7, 2010

VIJAY DEO JHA | RANCHI

Chief Minister Arjun Munda on Wednesday strode adroitly across the trickiest terrain in the coalition politics, smothering murmurs of differences over sharing of ministerial berths with alliance partners, yet leaving the door ajar for conjecture over the shape of his Cabinet.

"All nine vacant posts in the Cabinet will be filled on October 8 as proposed," Munda told the media after holding the meeting of party's legislative body. He said, "The meeting was called to obtain feedbacks and suggestions on the functioning of his Government in the last one month."

Top BJP sources said that Munda during the meeting sought assurance from the party MLAs that the decision over the selection of names will not be resented stating that a final decision will be taken only after due consultation with party seniors in New Delhi.

Munda parried couple of pointed questions over the proposed faces in the Cabinet — regional, gender or otherwise — offering tailor-made answers.

Asked whether he will induct a woman in his ministry, he said, "There are several factors like caste, creed and region that are taken into consideration while such decisions are taken." Munda said that he will take development into consideration while taking a final call on the catalogue competing clamour for the ministerial berths. He was asked the question in the wake of splintered women voice in the BJP that met party's national organisational secretary Saudan Singh on Wednesday seeking assurance of the representation of a woman face in Munda's ministry.

JD(U)'s Sudha Chaudhary, who held portfolio in the previous coalition government of the JMM-BJP-AJSU-JD(U) combine, took umbrage over Munda's circumlocution over the representation of a woman in the ministry. She replied with a stern note: "Ministerial berth is our right. We have spoken to the Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and party national president Sharad Yadav about our claim…Coalition partners will get apt representation in the ministry."

Chaudhary is less concerned for her party; "her concern is more personal," said a senior BJP leader. In the previous Cabinet expansion exercise, Chaudhary, owing to her strong connection in the JD(U) as her brother Udaynarayan Chaudhary is the Speaker of the Bihar Assembly, had tilted central unit's support in her favour. But this time she is facing another big problem --- JD(U) MLA from Tamar Raja Peter; who is close to Chief Minister Arjun Munda may favour his induction.

Soon after the meeting, Munda flew to New Delhi to take high command's consent on the proposed list of ministers from the BJP quota. CMO sources said that Munda will consult some of the top leaders over the names. He is scheduled to return today.

The Chief Minister kept the claimants within his party guessing about the sharing of seats --- BJP one (CM post) plus three, JMM one (Dy CM) plus four, AJSU one (Dy CM) plus one and JD (U) one. Another formula thoroughly discussed at the State BJP office does not mention the JD(U) in the ministry.

In the BJP camp, Baidyanath Ram looked confident. Munda personally wishes to retain his trusted MLA Barkuwar Gagrai, but the latter faces challenge from Nilkanth Singh Munda, who was minister in the previous Government. Munda is under pressure to give representation to Santhal Pargana. Arun Mandal and Satyanand Jha Batul are the two and only claimants belonging to Santhal Pargana.

Significantly former party president and MLA Raghuwar Das kept himself out of the deliberation. Notwithstanding, his close aides defended his absence due to his preoccupation with some public functions in his hometown; everybody in the party and outside now know as to why Das kept himself away. "He has no business here," a senior party leader said.