Munda and Hemant huddle in a meeting with Gadkari to resolve seat issue

Strap—Congress declares Balmuchu as candidate, Cong seeks support from JVM

VIJAY DEO JHA

RANCHI   

Seat-sharing for two seats of Rajya Sabha elections in Jharkhand has turned into a classic pawn game. Two national parties and chief contender for the seat — BJP and Congress — are cornered by their junior regional allies on the poll chessboard despite political parties are left with one day—Monday — to file nomination.

The JMM wants the BJP to support its candidate and the BJP can’t leave claim over the seat represented by SS Ahluwaliya. The Congress has the same predicament. Its junior ally, JVM, has already fielded Praveen Singh as candidate reminding the Congress: “We helped you last time. You help this time as per promise,” JVM chief Babulal Marandi again said.

On late Sunday evening; State Congress President Pradeep Balmuchu informed The Pioneer about his candidature but he tone was reeking with electoral worries. “My name has been cleared as candidate. Let’s see what happens next. We are trying to persuade to support us. Secular forces need to remain united,” Balmuchu told The Pioneer over telephone from Delhi.

On Sunday BJP Chief Minister Arjun Munda flew to Mumbai along with deputy Chief Minister and JMM leader Hemant Soren to meet BJP national president Nitin Gadkari to negotiate over seat. Both Munda and Soren had an hour long discussion on Saturday where they could not reach to any conclusion except agreeing to a point to involve their party senior. State BJP president Dineshnanda Goswami informed that by late Sunday night the name of candidate could be announced.

During Saturday meeting, sources in the BJP said, that Soren asked Munda to convince his party leadership to support JMM nominee for the election. Sources in the JMM said that Jamshedpur based industrialist and owner of Nilanchal Ispat has received support of around 15 JMM MLAs in writing and has been using political connection to convince BJP bosses to agree upon his name as joint candidate.

But a section of BJP has not been able to stomach overt and covert suggestions of JMM to persuade BJP to agree for a common candidate who must be someone from the JMM fold.

Speaking to The Pioneer BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP from Jharkhand SS Ahluwaliya refused to speak whether he was in party’s wish list for another term. “It is for the party to decide whether it find me suitable for the seat,” he said. NRI Ansuman Mishra has pressed his political connections to secure BJP ticket from Jharkhand.

The picture will be clear by late Sunday night or the next morning as leaders of both JMM and BJP will reach to any conclusion; settlement or stalemate. But the scene even day after will remain interesting as Rajya Sabha elections in Jharkhand have been controlled by mess and money.