Ideology takes a back seat, purses matter
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
You are allowed to laugh if someone believes that political ideology has something to do with any of the Rajya Sabha elections in Jharkhand. From Maharaja to business tycoon; Jharkhand has been the perfect place for political refuge. Outsiders' ability to win elections specially that of Rajya Sabha has inspired many.
The upcoming Rajya Sabha election for two seats in Jharkhand, scheduled for March 30 (following the end of the term of BJP’s SS Ahluwaliya and Mabel Rebelo of the Congress), has come as an open invitation to outsiders.
The Maharajadhiraj of Raj Darbhanga, Kameswar Singh, was not a refugee when he won Rajya Sabha election in 1952 as candidate of the Jharkhand Party of Jaipal Singh after loosing general election of 1951. But he had no connection with the tribal, the party and tribal politics of the region known as Jharkhand; a part of undivided Bihar then.
The deal was finalized in Delhi’s power corridor, mediated by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru who had persuaded hockey wizard Jaipal Singh to field Maharaja in the Rajya Sabha election. “The Unrest Axle: Ethno-Social Movement in Eastern India,” written Gautam Kumar Bera offers an insight. "Maharaja had no connection with Jharkhand Party and its ideology. The decision was resented. But none dared to oppose it," a chapter of the book reads.
A noted academician who was close to Maharaja had once revealed that Jaipal Singh was convinced that Kameswar Singh—richest landlord of India; with his two leading newspapers — Indian Nation and Aryavarta—would be an added advantage for the party. Winning Rajya Sabha election even during 50s was not possible without money as it happens today. Maharaja had to spend around Rs three lakh to keep the JP fold together, it is said.
But prior to the entry of Maharaja; politics and politicians of Jharkhand, known for their anti-outsider mindset called Diku (outsider); had ended embargo on outsider with the election of Minoo Mashani from the Ranchi Lok Sabha seat in the first general election. Mashani never turned to Ranchi after his election. In 1977 Ravindra Varma, from Kerala, had contested as Oppositions’ candidate from Ranchi Lok Sabha seat. “Quick to promise development Varma won election; became Union Labour Minister and assured to get a house here in Ranchi to serve people till rest of his life. He never returned to Ranchi,” Uttam Sengupta who had covered Varma’s election remembered. Varma though remained connected with his only friend industrialist Hanuman Prasad Sarawgi in Ranchi.
After the formation of Jharkhand in 2000, it became free hunting ground of the tycoon and refugees. Parimal Nathwani, the corporate head of Reliance Industries Limited, won Rajya Sabha election in 2008 as an independent without any effort. At least nine JMM, two RJD and a few of others made him to win. The result had left such a bad taste in the mouth of the JMM candidate Kishorilal (himself an outsider) that he had sportingly said that he would think twice to contest even a municipal election from Jharkhand. Media wasted rims of paper to narrate the success story of Nathwani: It was money that mattered.
The JMM having infamy of fielding and supporting rich and resourceful outsiders for Rajya Sabha elections had fielded RK Anand. In 2010 Rajya Sabha election, the JMM again picked an outsider; Kanwar Deep Singh; a Haryana based industrialist and owner of Alchemist Group. KD Singh had forged untenable connections with Jharkhand emotional if not ancestral, though to stop being labelled as an outsider. Few were convinced about hid dedication towards Jharkhand. The most investigated story remained an unconfirmed story of an inside deal; which nobody in the JMM attests or contests even today except feign ignorance.
Singh won the election with the help of additional five votes of the AJSU Party. But he never returned to Jharkhand after that and deserted the JMM to join the Trinmool Congress. “We have bad experience with outsider. The party leadership might have received lesson. Hope this time no outsider is given ticket and supported,” JMM MLA Sheshank Sekhar Bhokta said.
The JMM is not alone in doing this. The BJP and the Congress in the past have shown hospitality in fielding outsiders since there is no constitutional impropriety.
Ahluwalia, a Sikh born and brought up in Asansol, is married to a Bengali and speaks Bengali fluently was accommodated in Jharkhand. Former BJP MP Devdas Apte is not seen after his term ended. Similarly, Congress MP Mabelo Rebello of Goan descent born in Udupi and close to the Goan border with Karnataka has no connections, even remote, with Jharkhand. She has concern for a smaller part of Jharkhand, district Gumla and its surrounding area where she is learnt to have some missionary interests. With elections round the corner back room negotiation has started. Though, Jharkhand Vikash Morcha opted for a local nominee.
