Celebrate President’s Rule as political festival else find answer

VIJAY DEO JHA

RANCHI

Jharkhand under President’s Rule, the excitement has expired from the news. It was a newsy day, though, for byte-hungry media and political class scratching each other’s back to feed their readers and constituents, respectively. 12 years, eight Chief Ministers and President’s Rule thrice in a quick succession, the state doesn’t seem to be making on future. 

A senior State Congress politician had a sharp and sardonic reaction: “Happy President’s Rule. Greet or gnash…but it has become a habit now. Alas, nobody is serious that Jharkhand has become a basket case of India.” 

It was in fact a deliberate pun on political class in Jharkhand which is known for bringing more instability and opportunistic change of consorts. Almost all the governments collapsed either due to shaky numerical or cahoots of independents bringing it down. None possessed the required figure of 42 for majority in an assembly of 82. When the Arjun Munda led coalition government collapsed after the JMM withdrew its support, the Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar observed that the number of seats ought to be increased by 150 to ensure political stability.

In 2006, Jharkhand State Assembly had passed a resolution to increase the number of assembly seats by 150. A committee was formed that took no further initiative.

“As per Constitution number of assembly and parliamentary seats can’t be increased till 2025. Wait for another 12 years or find some way if you are serious” Chatra MP Indersingh Namdhari, said.

Namdhari advocated fresh elections. “If people have tendency of handing over fractured mandate political parties should force them to face another election as happened in Bihar in 2005 assembly election,” he said.

Namdhari was critical about national parties specially the BJP whose numerical strength has drastically fallen. “National parties are balancing factors. The BJP has been fighting shy over this issue. Its number has reduced from 36 to 18 and God knows the next election will reduce it in single digit entity,” he said.

The way national parties have lost ground it will only allow regional players — small or dominant-and independent taking the ground, Namdhari observed. 

Along with Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand were formed having 90 and 68 as assembly strength respectively. Goa has even lesser number of seats. But none witnessed either fractured mandate or frequent fall of government.

“Political class of Jharkhand lacks mindset and manner of governance. Such situations can’t be avoided till money and personal gains decide on your political decision,” BJP Rajya Sabha MP Prabhat Jha said.

Congress leader Radha Krishna Kishore is too of the view that political parties should press for delimitation. But he is not sure whether it will work.

“Politics and electoral result in Bihar has a uniform pattern which is missing in Jharkhand. Palamu, the core Hindi heartland of Jharkhand bears influence of Bihar more or less. The Koylanchal belt is an urban mix having more mature political pattern. Santhal Pargana has its set of political concerns where voting pattern is guided by sentiment. Bad thing is that there is no uniformity of issues, political parties and their bases are limited in a certain pockets,” he said.

There is no guarantee that a regional satrap will sweep beyond his area. The father figure of Jharkhand politics, JMM chief Shibu Soren, is an example who miserably lost in Tamar. The region is known for political despise towards any Santhal tribe.

But Kishore agreed parties never paid serious heed to address all such issues including fractured mandate. The word of that Congress leader rings sardonically true: “Let’s us celebrate President’s Rule as political festival.”