Coalition partners slug it out for ‘Home

’Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi


Pix by Malay Kumar

Battle for ‘Home’ is public now. Denial of Home portfolio to the AJSU chief and Deputy Chief Minister, Sudesh Mahato, led to a high-tension political drama on Wednesday. Within a fortnight of assuming power, the coalition partners of Shibu Soren-led NDA-JMM-AJSU Government started facing discord.

Mahato held a five-hour long marathon meeting with his party MLAs on Wednesday. Soren remained adamant and refused to send any of his emissaries to persuade the AJSU to fall in line. BJP State president and deputy Chief Minister Raghuwar Das, however, reached to persuade Mahato on late evening.

Trying to play down the issue, Das termed it a case of misunderstanding among the coalition partners. He hoped: “It will be sorted out within couple of days…we will put this issue before the CM tomorrow for discussion.”
Mahato, who rescheduled the timing of the Press briefing thrice, however, tried to remain tight-lipped over the decision taken during the meeting with his MLAs. Standing along with Das; Mahato was pressed to answer as to why he convened an emergency meeting of the party MLAs day after the allocation of portfolios.
“From a long time we did not sit together. It was an informal meeting, nothing else.” But Mahato dropped enough hint of his displeasure over the non-allocation of Home to him. “I do not think it is a big issue…but promise is promise.” And the promise meant Home to Mahato, the department the young Minister likes the most.
The AJSU has blamed the JMM for not keeping its promise of giving the Home department which it claimed was agreed during the post-poll alliance among the NDA, the JMM and the AJSU party.
Sources present in the AJSU meeting said that Mahato was quite unhappy after Soren also kept the portfolio of mines and geology. In his meeting with Das, Mahato is also reported to have raised objection after one of the ministers from the party quota Uma Kant Rajak got only one portfolio: Labour and Employment.
Soren, during the allocation of portfolios on Tuesday, retained Home. The AJSU having five MLAs in Soren-led NDA-JMM-AJSU Government got three ministerial berths.
Meanwhile Soren justified the allocation of the portfolio. Well-placed sources in the CM House confided Soren having held an emergency meeting this evening. “He is not in the mood to hand over Home to anybody. He is not in the mood to bend further beyond the point. The Chief Minister, so far, has not opened any communication channel with the AJSU. AJSU got a good number of plum departments…what else they want?”
Sources in the JMM said that Soren has been advised to keep Home department with him. JMM’s spin doctors exulted high hope that the controversy would not graduate beyond the media column.
“One cannot rule out the possibility that Soren would ultimately buy peace with the AJSU to save his Government by conceding its demand,” a senior Cabinet Minister said. Soren is quite keen to keep Vigilance and other key departments falling under Home with him. Home will be for the namesake in that case.


http://www.dailypioneer.com/229230/Coalition-partners-slug-it-out-for-‘Home’.html

‘Capital’ superstition gulps Sun in city

Vijay Deo Jha / Shilpi Ranchi Saturday, January 16, 2010

Pix by Malay Kumar

A little past 12.07 pm and the sky became theatre of pure black magic of celestial sun. Sun was no fire ball today. From fire ball to an apple's bite, then a mere half ring and finally into the crescent it had many shapes.

Thin gray cloud curtain dropped many a times, but it was visible in most of the part of Jharkhand with several celestial breaks. Longest ever sun eclipse of this millennium - three and half hours - and the next could be possible only on December 23, 3043 AD. And nobody wanted to miss this rare sight.

Superstition grabbed the minds of the locals for the whole day. "Ah. Devil is trying to devour Sun god. Ominous but beautiful. It will be repeated thousands years later only. Oh do not miss it," Sashikant Tiwari acclaims with mystique note standing on the top of Pahari Temple.
Best high sites of the town Tagore Hill, Pahari Temple and skyrocketing apartments were occupied by rationalist, theist, astrologer, scientist and devotee with their earthy, sophisticated equipments and arguments: seeking science and salvation.

Some were seen at river Swarnarekha standing in the muddy water of the river seeking salvation and watching reflection of solar eclipse on the quivering surface of the water body.
Sun eclipse got an unalloyed infamy - inauspicious evil - when you should not cast an eye on your near and dear, you should remain in home till Rahu and Ketu release the Sun from its custody.
Yet there were thousands men, women, children, old, chased out by a human desire to observe tryst with the devil--first hand--with lips mumbling some mantras. Manoj Mishra priest of Pahari Temple said what sun eclipse of Friday exactly meant. "Evil and propitious at the same time. Today is Mauni Amavasya also. Prayer and chant of mantras is the best antidote to counter ill impact of the eclipse. Even Gods are not immune from it." So was the reason Gods were confined in the safe custody, even Lord Shani, by their earthy guardians on Thursday evening for due precautions and parents too, kept their children inside the homes till the solar eclipse ended.

Pahari Temple of Lord Mahadeva, Jagannathpur Temple of Lord Krishna and all other temples remained close. And those who were there were poor, destitute and leapers to receive doles from the devotees to keep the ill at way. "In form of dole we also take misfortune of the people. We are sons and daughters of God. Solar eclipse does not affect us," a leaper named Binda near the temple of Lord Shani at Gadikhana exhibited another side of the story.

Far from city's hustle-bustle was BIT Mesra. A bay of scientists, professors, and students of Applied Mathematics Department had tilted their sophisticated telescope towards the sky. "Such celestial phenomenon is an opportunity to understand impact on temperature, level of radiation during and after eclipse and the impact on other members of the solar family," said the head of the department NC Mohanti. The entire project was funded by NASA. There are many Mohanti's who did not believe in superstition and infamy attached to solar eclipse. "No harm, you can watch it with due precaution," he said.

It was for the local and national news channel that devoted prime time telecast debate between rationalist and theist over spiritual prophecy and scientific prediction: often stonewalled.

Rationalists' awareness campaign quoting NASA's report had no impact on expected mothers and grandfathers/ mothers. Many of them kept expected mothers away from surgical knife for a Cesarean. "I am praying Lord Hanuman so that my daughter does not suffer from labour pain at least today. I have seen instances when disfigured child has taken birth on the day of solar eclipse," Sumitra Devi standing outside the temple at RIMS said fearfully.

The big show was over by 3.26 pm. Sun emerged insipid yet full-bodied, like the swill of good tea. Life resumed again, people came out of their home, same traffic chaos all around. All back to the business, shops, office, and mundane drudgery.

Temple's doors were cranked opened to offer Gods bath to purify. "Oh. Sun God is back again. Devil has gone," Phulo Devi, 80 years old frail widow heaved a sight of relief. Scientist of BIT and BAU were assessing data.


http://www.dailypioneer.com/229681/‘Capital’-superstition-gulps-Sun-in-city.html

Short-but-shining Sankaranarayanan showed how to deliver

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi Monday, January 18, 2010

Six months back when he took oath as the Governor of Jharkhand, K Sankaranarayanan had hit the headlines by briefing the media his priorities. Many had doubted him then.

He soon proceeded to dust off the files and put up a “Do Not Disturb” board outside his office. Jharkhand under the President’s Rule had got a new task master.

That remained an unalloyed image of the Sankaranarayanan’s governorship. Skeptic Opposition doubted his appointment as a desperate bid of the Congress to revive the image of the party in Jharkhand and the priorities, he stated, ‘as poll promises”.

However, the Governor was quick to dispel the Opposition’s fears. “I am not here to do politics. If I ever wish I would go to Kerala,” he had said. And when he left he did not leave behind the trail of controversy and muck unlike his immediate predecessor.

“Zero tolerance to corruption,” he said and orders were soon followed. CBI conducted massive raids against Avinash Kumar; former OSD of former Governor Syed Sibtey Razi, Rajesh Kumar; PA of Razi and Health Secretary Pradeep Kumar. Those brazen former ministers of the State Government who never cared for law despite corruption charges were lined up for punishment. Vigilance bureau expedited investigations against them. Ainosh Ekka, Harinarayan Rai and Kamlesh Singh landed in judicial custody. Another Bhanu Pratap Shahi and Bandhu Tirkey are too meek now.

Here was a Governor belonging to a different school of politics: Picked from the Raj Bhavan of Nagaland for the Raj Bhavan of Jharkhand, where the office of the Governor had no more remained the dressing room of virtue.

Administrative accountability, transparency, zero tolerance to the corruption and streamlining of the PDS system and NREGA, he had listed as his priorities. Sankaranarayanan showed the Jharkhand establishment how to work. And soon the poor of the State began to receive 35 kg of food grains through PDS shops.

System left him baffled and he was honest to accept fault. “I was surprised to note that not a grain of PDS sugar had been lifted and distributed since the creation of Jharkhand.”
Nevertheless, some went overboard suspecting that he could not get the feel of the woe of the poor and tribal, because, he did not know Hindi. He could speak either Malyalam or English. Man quoting this was Karia Munda, the Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha. Sankaranarayanan was unabashed in telling that he did not know Hindi. “Can language be a barrier to understand the pain? I know the pain of the people.”

A peaceful Assembly election, and a peaceful accession of Shibu Soren as the head of the NDA-JMM-AJSU post-poll coalition Government in Jharkhand was perhaps the best thing. In Jharkhand where coalition politics and Governments often remained unruly, he never allowed Raj Bhavan to be used as the bed of politics and make and break of coalition. Intention to this, he had announced on the very first day. “I had been in Nagaland where I conducted election free and fair. I promise to do it in Jharkhand.”

But the pitfalls of his regime were obvious and too many. The BJP protested when he said that an elected Government would be in place by the month of January 2010. The BJP interpreted it as a move of the Congress to delay the Assembly election.

One of his zealous advisors TP Sinha ran to church to seek cooperation of the missionaries in food grains distribution. Many doubted Sankaranarayanan’s secular credential and termed it a bid to coax Christian vote banks before the election. The murder of special branch officer Francis Induwal by Maoists put a question over his administration and what he had said a few week back about red rebels. “Naxals do not kill honest officials,” Sankaranarayanan had said to the State officials in a programme at Administrative Training Institute.

A small State, too many contradictions, thousands of problems and no easy solutions, Sankaranarayanan paved some ways, proving how wrong doubters were.

http://www.dailypioneer.com/230031/Short-but-shining-Sankaranarayanan-showed-how-to-deliver.html

PM assures release of Jharkhand’s due

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has agreed to release a package of Rs 482 crore to Jharkhand. He said this during a meeting with Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren, Deputy Chief Ministers Raghuwar Das and Sudesh Mahato in New Delhi on Monday.

Seeking intervention of the Prime Minister, Soren apprised him of the 12th Finance Commission’s recommendation for the grant of Rs 482 crore to Jharkhand. The State was denied the sanctioned amount on the ground that it didn’t held panchayat election in Jharkhand.
The Chief Minister explained that elections of the panchayat could not be conducted since the matter was pending in the Supreme Court. He assured the Prime Minister that elections would soon be conducted since the apex court has passed its verdict in the case.

Soren contended that Jharkhand was denied funds under the head of BRGF on the same ground, but the fund was later released. He said that the amount is used for the rural development. The Jharkhand Chief Minister requested the Prime Minister to release Rs 482 crore. The Prime Minister assured him to release the amount after consulting the Union Finance Ministry.
In another demand, Soren requested Singh to shift headquarters of CCL to Jharkhand from West Bengal. He said that Jharkhand produced 40 per cent of the total coal but the State does get due benefit since headquarters of the CCL is located outside Jharkhand.

In view of persistent draught in Jharkhand, Soren appealed to the Prime Minister for a special package. The Chief Minister said that the State Government has been trying to provide relief and assistance to the affected people within limited resources. Singh assured the delegation to look into the matter.

Deputy Chief Ministers Raghuwar Das and Sudesh Mahato, CM’s Principal Secretary Sukhdeo Singh and MLA Hemant Soren were the part of the delegation.

Soren also called on former Prime Minister and BJP stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee at his residence and sought his blessings. The leaders later met BJP leader Arun Jaitley.

http://www.dailypioneer.com/230312/PM-assures-release-of-Jharkhand’s-due.html

Party time in BJP but no time for Chintan Baithak

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi Tuesday, January 19, 2010

It is an ostrich-like BJP, head in sands. The BJP seems to have put a premium over its failure in the State Assembly election. Though, party had formed the Government after joining hands with the JMM and the AJSU; but the party found no time for introspection: Chintan Baithak.

“We have formed the Government but we should sit together to find out reasons behind party’s defeat so that we correct the things,” senior party leader, Saryu Rai told The Pioneer.

Sources in the party said that no meeting of the party took place after the results were declared nor there is any proposal to do so. Raghuwar Das was in hurry to submit his resignation from the post of party’s State president, soon after he joined the Shibu Soren’s Government, as the deputy Chief Minister.

He was also asked to continue in his office till further arrangement was made. Any decision over the appointment of the next president is likely to be taken after two-days meeting of the BJP National Council starting from February 17.

The party is running without a leader since others like Arjun Munda are not stated to be keen to prod the party for introspection. Insiders said that the fissure among party leaders have developed into a major fault-line.

It is because all of them had an equal burden in the poor performance of the party. The party could not retain respectable tally this time. It won only 18 seats, far below from what it had won in the Assembly election in 2005. But the greater part of the story is that sentiments are running high against party’s organisational secretary, Ranjan Patel who has been blamed for party’s discomfiture.

A section of the party has now demanded the removal of Patel, who rather failed to exhibit his organisational skill. Patel is likely to be removed from Jharkhand BJP affairs, sources in the BJP said.

“His performance was below to the expectation of the party. Instead running the party based on the consensus, he patronised factionalism and he remained detached from the party workers more or less and acted as the chief executive officer of the party,” a senior party leader said.

While it is mandatory for an organisational secretary of the BJP to make regular visit of different constituencies and stay with party workers, the system came to an end with Patel. Even during parliamentary and Assembly election, Patel was never seen in the constituencies. He remained confined to his official residence at party headquarter in Ranchi.

The party organisation remained disorganised during the election and different factions remained stonewalled to each others. Patel was hardly available to discipline the party. Sources said that Patel is no more in the good book of the RSS and the organisation on many occasions expressed displeasure over his way of functioning.

Though, the BJP has not started any preliminary investigation of its failure nor the district units have been asked to furnish any report insiders said that allocation of tickets to weak candidates was a prime reason.

For instance, the party was routed in Santhal Pargana while winning only two seats. The party virtually surrendered before the corporate giant and party MP from Godda Nishikant Dubey, who had a major say in the selection of the candidates in Santhal Pargana.
Too many skeletons are tumbling in the cupboards of the BJP.


http://www.dailypioneer.com/230284/Party-time-in-BJP-but-no-time-for-Chintan-Baithak.html

Guruji receives lessons in governance from ex-Guv

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi Thursday, January 21, 2010


Chief Minister Shibu Soren got tips on good governance from none other than K Sankaranarayanan, the outgoing Governor.

At a farewell function organised at the CM residence, located on Kanke Road on Wednesday, Sankaranarayanan said: “Transparency, accountability and vision for development are the keys to good governance, and I hope the Chief Minister would follow this.”

Soren, who took charge recently, was quick to reciprocate. “Sankaranarayanan is one of the best Governors Jharkhand has ever seen. He commanded respect from all sections. We are unfortunate that his tenure has been cut short. We could have been benefited by his wise advice in running the Government.”

Sankaranarayanan spoke his mind over problems and prospects in Jharkhand. “We need to develop value system…fix accountability. Academic discussions and resolutions are only eyewash in solving the problems.”

He advised Soren to focus on four major areas, including agriculture, rural employment, public distribution system and ensuring responsibilities and accountabilities of the administration towards the public.

“Soren is a seasoned leader and he understand the problems of the masses…the electorates have given him a chance to perform he should utilise it,” he said.

On being asked whether he was satisfied over his performance, Sankaranarayanan said: “Once you become saturate you cease to perform. There is no yardstick of satisfaction. Stating that he got only 85 days to do something for the people he felt no regret. “I tried to perform and set a deadline for others to perform.

People usually take me as a strict person. But I am not that one. I am happy that I was able to render my service to the people.”

He warned that the failure of the administration to reach to the people often results into people losing faith in the Government and administration. For instance, he quoted the failure of the previous Governments in ensuring supply of food grains through PDS shops and irregularities in rural employment schemes.

“One problem begets another set of problems it is precisely true in Jharkhand. I tried to concentrate on the core issues and problems. I got little time to perform. I could not do so many things. But then you have an elected government and I hope Soren will fulfil the expectations of the people,” said the outgoing Governor.

As he left for new assignment as the Governor of Maharashtra, Sankaranarayanan was satisfied that his tenure brought no political controversy in Jharkhand and transition of power remained smooth.

“The moment Soren staked claim to form a Government, I lost no time to invite him. My task was limited. I am happy that my tenure ended on dignified note getting love and respect of the people,” Sankaranarayanan said.

http://www.dailypioneer.com/230826/Guruji-receives-lessons-in-governance-from-ex-Guv.html

Soren left out in CMs meet on Op Green Hunt

Vijay Deo Jha RANCHI Friday, January 22, 2010


The Union Home Ministry has clarified that Jharkhand has not been ignored in the Operation Green Hunt (OGH) in Naxal-hit States.

The clarification came in the wake of the proposed meeting of Union Home Minister P Chidambaram with the Chief Ministers of three Naxal-hit States --- Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Orissa --- which is scheduled to be held in Raipur on Friday. Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren has not invited for the meeting.

It led to the speculation that the Union Home Ministry was quite unwilling to invite Soren for such a crucial meeting on the anti-Maoist operation. This probably happed after Soren precisely hinted at his unwillingness to fall in Centre's ambitious plan to launch mass offensive against Naxals under the Operation Green Hunt.

The office of the Chief Minister woke up late Wednesday night soon after the news of the proposed meeting landed in public domain. Sources in the Government told The Pioneer that Soren rang up to his Principal Secretary to know about the fact.

"Jharkhand has not been ignored if the CM was not called for the meeting," MA Siddique, the senior official of the Ministry told The Pioneer on telephone from New Delhi. He contended that even Bihar, West Bengal Chief Ministers were not invited in this round of meeting.

"The proposed meeting with the Chief Ministers of three States," he said, "was part of the plan of the Centre to review security, and, strategy to control naxalism in these States."

As Jharkhand is affected by Naxal movement, it cannot be ignored in the larger scheme of things. Chidambaram has already visited Jharkhand twice in the past. In the coming days, the minister could hold another meeting with the Chief Ministers of other Naxal-affected States, including Jharkhand," he said. Source in the ministry said another such crucial meeting is likely to be held the next month.

Ministry's spokesperson Kedia declined to reveal any information about the Friday meeting and the non-inclusion of Jharkhand CM. But at least one senior official of the ministry cited two reasons on the condition of anonymity. "Operation Green Hunt has already been started in these three States. We are still waiting for a clear signals from the Jharkhand Government …it is quite confusing right now. It is one of the most important meetings where the decision about the timing of the precision attack on Naxals based on intelligence input could be taken," he said.

This meeting, he said, is region and area specific. "And in case of a big operation like OGH it will be necessary for effective manning of the porous boarders to stop the flight of the Naxals from one State to another. The IB in its report to the Central has warned that the Naxal having rat like mobility can sneak in Jharkhand in case of a massive hunt. Jharkhand shares a vast stretch of boundary with Chhattisgarh and Orissa and it is quite likely that Chidambaram's new concert against Naxalism would run in peril.

"There is no point to involve Jharkhand in review meeting of ongoing operation. The State Government has already expressed its view against OGH. But Jharkhand will certainly be consulted and all logistic supports will be provided once the state government is prepared to start operation against naxalism," officer said.

He gave the example of Orissa, a key Naxalite-affected State. Orissa has recently joined Chidambaram's war against Naxal after it had politely begged off the joint security operations, stating its police force is currently not up to the challenge.

Is Jharkhand ready to be the hunting ground of Operation Green Hunt? While Chidambaram during a media briefing two days back asked Soren to give clear instructions to the State police to start operations against Naxals, Soren continued to emit confusing signals. But State DGP Neyaz Ahmed told The Pioneer: "We are preparing for major operation against Naxals. Major operation means Operation Green Hunt."

Soren falls in PC line over Green Hunt

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi 23 January, 2010

Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren sought to throw off the notion that he was opposed to the Operation Green Hunt in Jharkhand.

“I am not opposed to Centre’s plan of anti-Maoist offensive. I am not against Operation Green Hunt. The operation is being carried on in Jharkhand,” Soren said on Friday.

However, at the same time he recommended peace initiatives with Naxals. “I again ask Naxals to abjure killing of innocent people and come forward for dialogue. We want to know about their demands.”

The media also wanted to know from Soren as to why he was not invited in the meeting of Union Home Minister P Chidambaram with Chief Ministers of Naxal-hit States like Orissa, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra, in Raipur on Friday. “It was a coordination meeting between three States and the involvement of Jharkhand was not required. Jharkhand has been called in another meeting scheduled to be held next month,” Soren claimed.

It was confirmed by Chidambaram on the sideline of the meeting in Raipur. “There is a new Government in Jharkhand. The Chief Minister and other senior officials are coming to Delhi on January 28 to meet me on the Naxalite issue,” Chidambaram informed the media.

Top mandarins, including DGP Neyaz Ahmed and Home Secretary JB Tubid, held a joint Press conference on Friday afternoon and took time to explain that the State Government was not dragging its feet behind in anti-Naxal operations. Though they refused to christen it as Operation Green Hunt, but claimed that the Government has been making all strategic arrangements and a joint operation could be launched.

But they refused to announce a date or a timeline to anti-Naxalite offensive, or even calling it one.

If that is true then Chidambaram’ got political endorsement for his anti-Naxal operation from Soren, who rather feared that any such mass offensive in Jharkhand under Centre’s supervision and monitoring might entail collateral damage to his core tribal constituency.

One of the senior officers of the Union Home Ministry who is coordinating anti-Naxalite operations informed that the Home Department (Jharkhand) has already been asked about the logistic support two months back through an official communiqué. “We are not in the position to disclose any thing. But we got the reply. If the operation gets off from its initial phase it will be free of any jurisdictional constraints and allow real-time cross-border monitoring,” he said.

Détente for Home: Soren meets Mahato
Vijay Deo Jha


When a film actor says that he is looking for a good script that means he is out of the market. And when a minister claims that he is not obsessed with a particular department; it means he is not getting this.

When the deputy Chief Minister and AJSU Chief Sudesh Mahato said that he never demanded Home portfolio it became instantly clear that his pressure tactics failed to impress upon the Chief Minister Shibu Soren to give Home to him (Mahato).

Not happy over the allocation of portfolios specially when Soren kept Home Department with him, Mahato on Wednesday held in-camera meeting with three other AJSU MLAs. It led to a stand-off between Soren and Mahato.

It took three breezy hours of Soren on Thursday morning to convince his deputy Chief Minister to drop his demand. All it happened at Mahato's Kanke residence where Soren made a surprised visit along with his son and MLA Hemant Soren without blaring chief ministerial cavalcades.

With fine morning tea, two bowls of custard and some tilkuts dispute was resolved. Soren emerged from the negotiation room along with Mahato and termed it a courtesy visit on the occasion of Makar Sankranti. "There is no dispute. People want us to perform, we must ensure that we work for the promises we made, that will be our main task," Soren said to the media.

Mahato also aired peace-making note denying that he ever demanded Home portfolio for himself. "I am not one who demanded Home…and I am not dying for that. Who gets what is the prerogative of the Chief Minister. My sole concern is how to run the government based on a Common Minimum Programme (CPM). CM has assured me to form a committee very soon comprising coalition partners"

Sources both in the AJSU and the JMM confided that Soren struck a tactical deal with Mahato. "Instead Home, Mahato is likely to be allotted the department of Rural Development. Soren had an elaborate discussion over it. Besides it there might be a minor adjustment in the departments to keep Mahato happy. But please note it is not at the cost of Home ," a close confidant of Soren said.

Though official sources were quite unable to testify the deal, it was party sources that had field day. Parley between Soren and Mahato continued for three hours and sources quoted Mahato as saying that the AJSU must get an honourable position in the government. Mahato is reported to have submitted a list of demands which Soren assured to look into in the coming days.

The BJP is the major alliance partner in Soren led NDA-JMM-AJSU government where Raghuwar Das holds the position of Deputy Chief Minister. Das on Wednesday persuaded Mahato to relinquish his tough stands over Home and others. He offered his mediation between Soren and Mahato which bore result this morning when Soren made unscheduled visit.

BJP insiders said that the party was not in favour of supporting Mahato's war for Home. "If you are the Home Minister that means you are number two in the government. If Mahato is elevated as the Home Minister that will automatically reduce the BJP as the junior most alliance partner in the government despite having 18 MLAs," a senior BJP leader said.

He ended with note of caution that if the CM is denied Home portfolio it really sends a wrong signal among the public.

For time being the State Government got respite. But the JMM is wary over growing demand of the AJSU. "G5 has resurfaced in the state politics again…we need to search friends and allies politically and personally if this government is to continue," a senior JMM leader said.