Munda seeks patience over performance
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
Amid ominous grunts of the coalition partner and his party over not so satisfactory performance of the government Chief Minister asserted his was a development oriented government and placed before the media ‘plans’ and ‘priorities’ of the government at a press conference, on Monday.
Munda hinted the government will bring three important bills related with corruption, service act and IT. The purpose of this press conference Munda said: “People have the fundamental right to know as to what the government is doing. The Ministers of the government will now hold regular press conferences to let the people know about government and governance. We want the social audit of the performance of the government.”
Claiming law and order situation in Jharkhand has improved Munda said that his government was keen to bring transparency, accountability and zero tolerance towards corruption.
“The purpose of bring a bill regarding IT is that, it will add transparency in the government works. We will form law to deal with corruption and the law related with service act so that people get right service at the right time,” he said. Though, Munda did not explain much about the nitty-gritty of proposed bills.
Munda veered around key words like ‘accountability’ ‘responsibility and communication gap’ just to add on to his muffled acceptance of the failure of his government to meet the expectation of the people. He did not make any pointed reference but his target group was the officials who had occupied the first row of the press conference. Even Munda during the press conference was repeatedly reminded and complained by the media about his unresponsive bureaucracy that acts as a roadblock to let the information related with development work to pass on to public domain.
Munda answered: “I have started this initiative to ensure our accountability and responsibility.” For the next two weeks; Munda has ensured his government as the rallying point of media attention since the government has planned a slue of press conferences of the ministers from July 25 to August 8.
Munda discussed the key sectors where the pace of infrastructural development has been accelerated. In the power sector we have drafted plans for 6000 MW of power generation by the next year. Jharkhand where the power generation capacity of its vintage and defunct power plants has never crossed 1000 MW limit, statistics of the State Energy Department were readily made available according to which the total power production of its total four units is 2520 MW
.
“We are upgrading power plants. We have plans to turn Jharkhand into a power hub. New transmission lines have been established. Now we are aiming around 1200 villages of Jharkhand which is bereft of electricity,” he said.
Munda informed that government has decided to grant 85 per cent subsidy for CFL project in Jharkhand involving elected local body for its execution. Munda said that his government was committed to involve local elected body in governance adding that his government was bound to bring the development to the last people.
A patient Munda asked patience till the time his long term projects come into shape. “It may take some time for the result to come. Roads, electricity, social security are the major thrust area of the government. We have involved noted economists who are working with us to draw plans for the integrated development of Jharkhand.”
Munda replied quite philosophically to some of the pointed poser at a time when the alliance partner in the government, the JMM is not so impressed with the government and governance. Munda shifted blames on the coalition compulsion without buying any direct confrontation.
“During election we too ask people for a complete majority. But then we are running a coalition government by forging some common grounds and political will. Development is not the responsibility of a government only…the Opposition, MLAs and people are too responsible. They should know it.”
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Switched off ministers of Munda cabinet
Want a public voice to know Ministers’ mind
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
The cabinet ministers of the Arjun Munda government who often wear detachment as distinction -- the absence of a designated voice is probably not being missed.
As mark of minimum flaunt, most of his ministers including deputy chief ministers, Sudesh Mahato and Hemant Soren switched off their official cell phone the day they took charge as minister. They reportedly have switched over to some secret numbers with only a limited number of people having the privy to dial him for a deal or a dialogue.
Even rookie in legislative politics and ministerial job — first time MLA and minister from the BJP Satyanand Jha Batul, joined the snob class of ministers. The only exception is Disaster Management and Excise Department minister Raja Peter of the JD (U) who promptly responds calls and even calls backs. “Why should I keep my mobile phone switched off? Why should I ask my private secretary to speak on my behalf? I am a people’s representative and people have the right to talk to me directly to seek any information,” he said over telephone.
Wonder happens with switched off cells of these disconnect ministers. Sometimes its rings too if called but soon gets switched off or turn to busy mode even if the minister is not busy. But this is too rare an occasion and you are too lucky if your effort indeed buzzed his mobile: Hemant Soren for instance on Thursday evening.
But it is indeed tough to point out as to when Sudesh last operated his official number. Munda’s both deputy CMs are burdened with the responsibility of plum departments. They are ministering the fortune of Jharkhand. Want to talk Hemant then dial Pintu, his private assistant, with a request. Most of the times the requests are turned down with tailor-made pretext: ‘Minister is busy’. Want to talk to Sudesh call on Himanshu if you are in his good book and phone book.
Health Minister and senior JMM leader Hemlal Murmu chose politically clever line that neither defended nor denounced his cabinet colleagues. “How can I say as to why they keep their phone switched off? Ask them directly. It is up to them,” Hemlal reacted. He also belongs to the tribe of ministers who picks less and selective calls.
Yours’ truly and trusted aides of these ministers have their point to argue if the minister does not pick call or keep it switched off. “Calls keep coming and if he responds every call he will be less a minister and more as telephone operator. People often call him for favour,” a close aide of HRD Minister Baidyanath Ram defended.
Nevertheless, Munda is aware that the communication gap of government with the media and the mass has proved too costly for the government. His plan of the interaction of his ministers with media at a regular interval of three months is the part of the strategy to bridge that communication gap. Munda began this exercise only a few days back when he faced the barge of questions over key and critical issues and complaints. It included his non responsive departmental secretaries and ministers who are either inaccessible or refuse to share even normal details of day to day administrative affairs or developmental projects.
“Secretaries are not authorised to speak to the media. They brief their minister and minister in turn are supposed to brief the media and people,” Munda had responded to this complaints. But then, Munda has no such mechanism or mesmerism to make the ministers media and people oriented; much in the line of the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar.
Munda is in an ambitious drive to let information flow on the public sphere has even planned to bring an IT law for the smooth flow of information. Munda after taking oath as CM last year had planned to hold day to day briefing of the departments that could not graduate beyond some media columns.
“CM may be busy but he regularly communicates and wants his ministers to maintain constant communication with the media and people that is the part of effective governance,” a CMO source said. Munda is easily accessible not his switched off ministers.
Want a public voice to know Ministers’ mind
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
The cabinet ministers of the Arjun Munda government who often wear detachment as distinction -- the absence of a designated voice is probably not being missed.
As mark of minimum flaunt, most of his ministers including deputy chief ministers, Sudesh Mahato and Hemant Soren switched off their official cell phone the day they took charge as minister. They reportedly have switched over to some secret numbers with only a limited number of people having the privy to dial him for a deal or a dialogue.
Even rookie in legislative politics and ministerial job — first time MLA and minister from the BJP Satyanand Jha Batul, joined the snob class of ministers. The only exception is Disaster Management and Excise Department minister Raja Peter of the JD (U) who promptly responds calls and even calls backs. “Why should I keep my mobile phone switched off? Why should I ask my private secretary to speak on my behalf? I am a people’s representative and people have the right to talk to me directly to seek any information,” he said over telephone.
Wonder happens with switched off cells of these disconnect ministers. Sometimes its rings too if called but soon gets switched off or turn to busy mode even if the minister is not busy. But this is too rare an occasion and you are too lucky if your effort indeed buzzed his mobile: Hemant Soren for instance on Thursday evening.
But it is indeed tough to point out as to when Sudesh last operated his official number. Munda’s both deputy CMs are burdened with the responsibility of plum departments. They are ministering the fortune of Jharkhand. Want to talk Hemant then dial Pintu, his private assistant, with a request. Most of the times the requests are turned down with tailor-made pretext: ‘Minister is busy’. Want to talk to Sudesh call on Himanshu if you are in his good book and phone book.
Health Minister and senior JMM leader Hemlal Murmu chose politically clever line that neither defended nor denounced his cabinet colleagues. “How can I say as to why they keep their phone switched off? Ask them directly. It is up to them,” Hemlal reacted. He also belongs to the tribe of ministers who picks less and selective calls.
Yours’ truly and trusted aides of these ministers have their point to argue if the minister does not pick call or keep it switched off. “Calls keep coming and if he responds every call he will be less a minister and more as telephone operator. People often call him for favour,” a close aide of HRD Minister Baidyanath Ram defended.
Nevertheless, Munda is aware that the communication gap of government with the media and the mass has proved too costly for the government. His plan of the interaction of his ministers with media at a regular interval of three months is the part of the strategy to bridge that communication gap. Munda began this exercise only a few days back when he faced the barge of questions over key and critical issues and complaints. It included his non responsive departmental secretaries and ministers who are either inaccessible or refuse to share even normal details of day to day administrative affairs or developmental projects.
“Secretaries are not authorised to speak to the media. They brief their minister and minister in turn are supposed to brief the media and people,” Munda had responded to this complaints. But then, Munda has no such mechanism or mesmerism to make the ministers media and people oriented; much in the line of the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar.
Munda is in an ambitious drive to let information flow on the public sphere has even planned to bring an IT law for the smooth flow of information. Munda after taking oath as CM last year had planned to hold day to day briefing of the departments that could not graduate beyond some media columns.
“CM may be busy but he regularly communicates and wants his ministers to maintain constant communication with the media and people that is the part of effective governance,” a CMO source said. Munda is easily accessible not his switched off ministers.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Banna’s poll battle on cyber space
Vijay DEO JHA
“Make your vote count. Vote for Banna Gupta, it is easier than thinking,common sense makes good government.”
Bleeping above is a convincing plea and an insistent relief from raucouspoll campaign by robust lungs in the Jamshedpur battlefield: a serial bannerinvitation to visit *http://bannagupta.com/*, the fledgling, but flourishingwebsite of the Congress candidate Banna Gupta.
Vijay DEO JHA
“Make your vote count. Vote for Banna Gupta, it is easier than thinking,common sense makes good government.”
Bleeping above is a convincing plea and an insistent relief from raucouspoll campaign by robust lungs in the Jamshedpur battlefield: a serial bannerinvitation to visit *http://bannagupta.com/*, the fledgling, but flourishingwebsite of the Congress candidate Banna Gupta.
The adversary quarters—the JMM, BJP, JVM and AJSU—might have encroached uponthe Jamshedpur battlefield by a juggernaut campaign by banners and buntings,the cyber space is an exclusive domain where Banna flaunts with 4552 visitless than a week time. His poll campaign on the cyber space is powered by‘Anmoul Web Solution.’
If you thought that Banna all did out of fancy, and an uncouth copy of hisparty bigwigs likes Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, think again.
“There is a vast invisible lost of voters mostly youths who keep tab overcampaign through mediums like internet. There are people for whom voting isnot just a matter of political allegiance who rather will demand a veryconvincing argument before casting their votes in their favour,” Banna said.
Unfortunately for him, Jamshedpur isn’t a web-saturated environment exceptits urban spares, sizeable numbers of electorates that matter the most, arelocked in hard-to-reach and no network area.
“I don’t claim that cyber can do all the campaigning for me…and I am notrelying on cyber only. I am visiting constituencies and constituents,” Bannasaid. Where network fails Banna ensures his footfall.
Call it his fancy, call it his claim; Banna connects Jamshedpur with Japanand Jamaica too. “There is world outside Jamshedpur also. There are a lot ofpeople of Jamshedpur living in Japan, Jamaica and other parts of the worldwho may be interested in knowing about election and candidates,” he argued.
But Jamshedpur’s minuscule web community not more than of the 10 percent ofthe total population is no damper to the team that propels Banna’s cyber-runuploading megabytes of campaign details and others.
The battle for Jamshedpur is less than a week away, but the conquest ofcyberia is being well ensured for ‘Banna. His adversaries like DineshnandaGoswami (BJP), Sudhir Mahto (JMM), Ajay Kumar (JVM) and Suman Mahto (TMC)are far behind.
Even world’s most powerful search engine Google seems to be in sync withBanna’s giant leap in the politics: 84,500 web result in a single hit; farfrom more than what his main rival Goswami yields—1770. Banna is aeons aheadof his competitors.
Rahul Gandhi may not oblige him by campaigning for him, Banna’s cyberpromoters are close to sealing a poll deal with electorates. Tap “Banna forJamshedpur” he will pop up along with Rahul. “Elect Banna Gupta time for anew generation of leaders to step-up,” it scrolls — must read it in contestof Rahul.
What others have scored on the Google hit, are, after all, very low whatBanna quickly achieved. But, even if Banna is poaching on his rivals withpredatory alacrity on the web space the real battle lies somewhere else.
Peacemakers swing into action after brickbatting
Vijay Deo Jha
Hawks in the BJP and the JMM have done their job with predatory swiftness; it is time for the peaceniks to play their role.After the JMM Ministers Hazi Hussain Ansari and Mathura Mahto and BJP MP, Nishikant Dubey; ticked-off each others party on the last few days of the election campaign of the Jamshedpur parliamentary byelection, leaders of both the parties have now decided to halt their offensive.
“Election me toka taki chalti rahti hai lekin yeh election tak hi hai, (During the election a bit byplay happens. But it is limited up to the election only),” a senior BJP leader said. But top BJP sources admitted that the attack of BJP MP Dubey against the JMM and Deputy CM Hemant Soren as anti-development was premeditated and political.
“The BJP considers the JMM as its chief rival in the election…but we were facing problem in attacking the JMM since we are coalition partners in the Government. We had to do this and Dubey did this for us,” source said. But another top BJP leader explained that the BJP was not the first to start war of words. “They were the first to start this. We just delivered them in measured riposte after they threatened the BJP to pull down the Government,” he said. The JMM MLA and Minister in the coalition Government Hazi Hussain Ansari led the BJP into provocation as during an election rally he threatened the BJP to pull down the Government if it least wished to dominate its wishes.
Ansari was ministering the fortune of his own party in the election and trying to stitch Muslim support behind the party. A non-stop counterattack soon followed from both the sides. Dubey labeled JMM and Hemant as anti-development explaining the people that the consort of coalition with the JMM was forced by the compelling political circumstances. The last two days of campaign remained so tense for the warring alliance partners that Hemant lodged protest with the Chief Minister Arjun Munda but also issued a public statement not dismissing an imminent Assembly election.
An enthusiastic JMM MLA and Minister Mathura Mahto even went on to claim the CM post for the party.But after initial bickering; both the parties have decided not to add more in the trust deficit and fragile coalition. After making a frontal attack against the JMM, the BJP bosses have privately called for restrains; fearing the election results of the Jamshedpur might have wider ramification on the health of the Government.What exasperated the JMM was a frontal attack of the BJP against Hemant. The BJP termed it unbecoming as JMM Ministers are speaking against the Government.
Vijay Deo Jha
Hawks in the BJP and the JMM have done their job with predatory swiftness; it is time for the peaceniks to play their role.After the JMM Ministers Hazi Hussain Ansari and Mathura Mahto and BJP MP, Nishikant Dubey; ticked-off each others party on the last few days of the election campaign of the Jamshedpur parliamentary byelection, leaders of both the parties have now decided to halt their offensive.
“Election me toka taki chalti rahti hai lekin yeh election tak hi hai, (During the election a bit byplay happens. But it is limited up to the election only),” a senior BJP leader said. But top BJP sources admitted that the attack of BJP MP Dubey against the JMM and Deputy CM Hemant Soren as anti-development was premeditated and political.
“The BJP considers the JMM as its chief rival in the election…but we were facing problem in attacking the JMM since we are coalition partners in the Government. We had to do this and Dubey did this for us,” source said. But another top BJP leader explained that the BJP was not the first to start war of words. “They were the first to start this. We just delivered them in measured riposte after they threatened the BJP to pull down the Government,” he said. The JMM MLA and Minister in the coalition Government Hazi Hussain Ansari led the BJP into provocation as during an election rally he threatened the BJP to pull down the Government if it least wished to dominate its wishes.
Ansari was ministering the fortune of his own party in the election and trying to stitch Muslim support behind the party. A non-stop counterattack soon followed from both the sides. Dubey labeled JMM and Hemant as anti-development explaining the people that the consort of coalition with the JMM was forced by the compelling political circumstances. The last two days of campaign remained so tense for the warring alliance partners that Hemant lodged protest with the Chief Minister Arjun Munda but also issued a public statement not dismissing an imminent Assembly election.
An enthusiastic JMM MLA and Minister Mathura Mahto even went on to claim the CM post for the party.But after initial bickering; both the parties have decided not to add more in the trust deficit and fragile coalition. After making a frontal attack against the JMM, the BJP bosses have privately called for restrains; fearing the election results of the Jamshedpur might have wider ramification on the health of the Government.What exasperated the JMM was a frontal attack of the BJP against Hemant. The BJP termed it unbecoming as JMM Ministers are speaking against the Government.
Sarangi quits BJP over denial of by-poll ticket
Vijay Deo Jha
A day before declaration of the result of the Jamshedpur parliamentary by-election, disgruntled BJP leader and former Health Minister Dinesh Sarangi resigned from the party, ostensibly because he was denied a ticket to contest the polls.
The former MLA from Bahragora sent his resignation to the party national president, Nitin Gadkari, on Sunday morning. "It was a painful decision but I was forced to make it. The BJP in Jharkhand is a one-man show run by Arjun Munda. I was neglected many times by the leadership. I was denied a ticket despite having mass support," he told The Pioneer.
Sarangi and the State BJP have not been on the same page for the last couple of years. Many-a-time, the story of his sour relations with Munda landed in the public domain with each speaking against the other.But this time the rift has widened beyond repair. Sarangi was a strong claimant of the ticket but a last-moment intervention by Munda who, according to the party sources, was authorised to decide the candidate, ruined his chances. Munda favoured the party's State president, Dineshananda Goswami for the ticket.A disappointed Sarangi withdrew himself from the campaign despite repeated requests from the party andSarangi quits BJP over denial of by-poll ticket also refused to take part in the election rally of the BJP which was addressed by Gadkari."Some BJP leaders tried to get me to join the campaign but I refused. My supporters were quite angry at my humiliation," Sarangi said. Though, the election result will be announced on Monday, party insiders indicated that it may suffer a substantial loss of votes in Bahragora. Ironically, Bahragora is also the home constituency of Goswami.Sarangi is yet to reveal his future plans but indications are that he will join the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha of Babulal Marandi under whose regime he had served as Health Minister.The party has served a notice to him alleging anti-party activities during the by-election in which he allegedly helped Jharkhand Vikas Morcha candidate Ajay Kumar against Goswami. Sarangi, however, denied having received any such notice.
Vijay Deo Jha
A day before declaration of the result of the Jamshedpur parliamentary by-election, disgruntled BJP leader and former Health Minister Dinesh Sarangi resigned from the party, ostensibly because he was denied a ticket to contest the polls.
The former MLA from Bahragora sent his resignation to the party national president, Nitin Gadkari, on Sunday morning. "It was a painful decision but I was forced to make it. The BJP in Jharkhand is a one-man show run by Arjun Munda. I was neglected many times by the leadership. I was denied a ticket despite having mass support," he told The Pioneer.
Sarangi and the State BJP have not been on the same page for the last couple of years. Many-a-time, the story of his sour relations with Munda landed in the public domain with each speaking against the other.But this time the rift has widened beyond repair. Sarangi was a strong claimant of the ticket but a last-moment intervention by Munda who, according to the party sources, was authorised to decide the candidate, ruined his chances. Munda favoured the party's State president, Dineshananda Goswami for the ticket.A disappointed Sarangi withdrew himself from the campaign despite repeated requests from the party andSarangi quits BJP over denial of by-poll ticket also refused to take part in the election rally of the BJP which was addressed by Gadkari."Some BJP leaders tried to get me to join the campaign but I refused. My supporters were quite angry at my humiliation," Sarangi said. Though, the election result will be announced on Monday, party insiders indicated that it may suffer a substantial loss of votes in Bahragora. Ironically, Bahragora is also the home constituency of Goswami.Sarangi is yet to reveal his future plans but indications are that he will join the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha of Babulal Marandi under whose regime he had served as Health Minister.The party has served a notice to him alleging anti-party activities during the by-election in which he allegedly helped Jharkhand Vikas Morcha candidate Ajay Kumar against Goswami. Sarangi, however, denied having received any such notice.
Munda gets summons from Delhi
Ranchi
The BJP’s defeat in Jamshedpur by-election might not have been a big jolt to the party’s national executive but has ruffled enough feathers for the leadership to call Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda and party president Dineshanand Goswami to New Delhi for an explanation.Both Munda and Goswami reached Delhi separately on Wednesday where they are expected to meet party seniors on the sideline of the meeting of State BJP presidents across the country on Thursday.
Goswami was beaten by JVM(P) candidate Ajay Kumar by a huge margin in the by-election. Taking moral responsibility for the defeat, he has resigned from the party post. “But this is not the end of the matter,” said a central BJP leader, adding, “resignation is no answer to what went wrong. It is an indication of a fall in popularity of the party. It is a serious issue.” Both Munda and Goswami may have to face questions on reports of infighting and organisational atrophy of the party in Jharkhand. Losing a prestigious seat like Jamshedpur, which Munda had won with a record margin the last time, would not be easy to explain.It is yet to be seen whether or not the central BJP will accept the resignation of Goswami and bring a new president for organisational overhaul. Sources in the party said the State BJP in-charge Harendra Pratap, too, is likely to be summoned with a detailed report on the organisational set-up of the party.“It is amazing to note that despite the fact that the party has to fight the Jamshedpur election the organisational elections here were not conducted,” the source said. The point to worry for the BJP bosses is that there is an urgent need of organisational overhaul in the party in view of the parliamentary elections in 2014. A section of party leaders now want the party to come out of the coalition government and focus upon the party and organisation for a fresh start. “The Jamshedpur result is a sign of failure of governance. We are facing a serious challenge from JVM that can be countered only by expanding the base of the organisation. If the Government is your priority then you are going to lose more in coming days,” a senior central BJP executive member said. Leaders of the conflict-ridden Jharkhand Congress, too, have arrived in Delhi seeking postmortem of the election result and a change of guard in the party. Leaders, belonging to the camps of State Congress president Pradeep Balmuchu and Union Minister Subodhkant Sahay, are currently engaged in an open spat. The State Congress is expecting a change of guard very soon but disturbing reports of backstabbing party candidate Banna Gupta in the election have central Congress leaders in a tizzy. Even if Balmuchu’s departure seems
Ranchi
The BJP’s defeat in Jamshedpur by-election might not have been a big jolt to the party’s national executive but has ruffled enough feathers for the leadership to call Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda and party president Dineshanand Goswami to New Delhi for an explanation.Both Munda and Goswami reached Delhi separately on Wednesday where they are expected to meet party seniors on the sideline of the meeting of State BJP presidents across the country on Thursday.
Goswami was beaten by JVM(P) candidate Ajay Kumar by a huge margin in the by-election. Taking moral responsibility for the defeat, he has resigned from the party post. “But this is not the end of the matter,” said a central BJP leader, adding, “resignation is no answer to what went wrong. It is an indication of a fall in popularity of the party. It is a serious issue.” Both Munda and Goswami may have to face questions on reports of infighting and organisational atrophy of the party in Jharkhand. Losing a prestigious seat like Jamshedpur, which Munda had won with a record margin the last time, would not be easy to explain.It is yet to be seen whether or not the central BJP will accept the resignation of Goswami and bring a new president for organisational overhaul. Sources in the party said the State BJP in-charge Harendra Pratap, too, is likely to be summoned with a detailed report on the organisational set-up of the party.“It is amazing to note that despite the fact that the party has to fight the Jamshedpur election the organisational elections here were not conducted,” the source said. The point to worry for the BJP bosses is that there is an urgent need of organisational overhaul in the party in view of the parliamentary elections in 2014. A section of party leaders now want the party to come out of the coalition government and focus upon the party and organisation for a fresh start. “The Jamshedpur result is a sign of failure of governance. We are facing a serious challenge from JVM that can be countered only by expanding the base of the organisation. If the Government is your priority then you are going to lose more in coming days,” a senior central BJP executive member said. Leaders of the conflict-ridden Jharkhand Congress, too, have arrived in Delhi seeking postmortem of the election result and a change of guard in the party. Leaders, belonging to the camps of State Congress president Pradeep Balmuchu and Union Minister Subodhkant Sahay, are currently engaged in an open spat. The State Congress is expecting a change of guard very soon but disturbing reports of backstabbing party candidate Banna Gupta in the election have central Congress leaders in a tizzy. Even if Balmuchu’s departure seems
JVM jangles mighty in Jamshedpur *
Strap—No mandate against government, people expected us to stay united:Munda
VIJAY DEO JHA
Strap—No mandate against government, people expected us to stay united:Munda
VIJAY DEO JHA
Ajay Kumar of the JVM grabbed the strobe-lights with his rampage run in theJamshedpur parliamentary by-election thus hammering the political ambitionof the BJP, JMM, AJSU and the Congress with his stunning surge.
BJP state president and candidate Dineshananda Goswami’s maiden push forparliamentary election to regain Jamshedpur was so firmly repulsed that hemay not have an opportunity to recover, he has already submitted his fate to resignation. “I accept the verdict. I don’t knowwhat went wrong but I will resign from my post,” Goswami said.
Soon after the result coalition Chief Minister Arjun Munda held a pressconference refusing to accept that the result is a kind of mandate againstthe government.
“People expected the coalition partners to field a common candidate. We didnot press for it since we had no such pre-poll alliance. If you see thepercentage of votes that the coalition partners have garnered; thegovernment has not lost the election. There are certain other factors,”Munda said.
But some vital reasons of defeat were beyond the articulation of Munda. TheBJP’s pride cohesion of view and machinery became victims of various degreesof chaos. The dispute over candidature and BJP’s failure to prevent opendiscord or to discipline it, littered across the segments of Jamshedpurconstituency—Bahragora, Potka, Jamshedpur East and West; where it lostsubstantially against the JVM.
The message that widely traveled among the voters about the BJP was not thatof a cohesive alternative, it was the message of a party mired in its ownchaos, contradiction, conspiracy and confusions.
BJP probably confronted a much more complex set of challenges and respondedpoorly. “We started our preparation casually as if we are winning andelection is a mere formality. It is party organisation that contestselection. In Jamshedpur there was no party organisation since theorganisational elections were kept in abeyance. Larger view among the partyworkers was that Goswami is contesting as Chief Minister Arjun Munda’scandidate. He was snubbed by the voters and workers too,” a senior partyleader said.
Did Munda and Co. misread Ajay Kumar as politically too anodyne? BJP’s hopeof victory rested on a very confusing and dangerous notion about thedivision of Opposition’s vote. The probably missed to notice that the JVMchief Babulal is a macro manager who could play a political retailer also.
Kumar encashed his past popularity as a strict cop among the urban voters;Marandi stitched behind him the rural and tribal support. With around fivelakh tribal voters; Marandi had an open field to foray. Munda could devotelittle time to campaign. State Congress Pradeep Balmuchu remained neutraland negative in campaign with ominous grunts against his party candidateBanna Gupta. And when the result was declared Kumar had already set a newrecord by winning the Jamshedpur election by a margin of 1,55,726 votes;leaving Munda’s previous record far behind.
The Congress’ big claim as sole claimant of Muslim and urban votes liessplintered. Netting around 49,137 votes Banna was pushed to fifth positionafter the AJSU. AJSU despite the defeat has some reason to rejoice with99,058 votes. It is an unexpected expansion of the base of the AJSU.
The Congress can seek comfort in the deep discomfiture of the BJP. But thefine-print has created scramble and a blame game. “It the party has lostdeposit it is because some of the party seniors including Balmuchu haddecided so,” a senior party leader said. But a few things have made themwary. Babulal Marandi is more on “ekla chalo” note indicating seriousoverview to get rid of the compulsion of coalition politics with theCongress. The Jamshedpur result has added spokes in our wheels. “Let theassembly election come we will contest all 81 seats in Jharkhand,” JVMgeneral secretary Praveen Singh said.
Both the parties have publicly undertaken to review what went wrong withtheir respective challenges. Munda promised a review in the coming days, theCongress is set to boil with a review meeting the next week.
If there was a single message the election result handed over to thenational players, the regional players like JVM and the AJSU will hold-upthe ambitions of national parties. Nevertheless, for the JMM, a prominentregional party the election result brought stunning surprise. Its coretribal and Mahto constituents have drifted towards and JVM and the AJSUrespectively.
Even if coalition partners have lost miserably in this big-ticketparliamentary by-election, the government will remain safe. Munda hasassured this. Probably the ghost of Marandi will keep the flock together.For the BJP it is not an end. Having brought the party to its lowest perch,its leader may now have enough time and space to ponder for lowly as it is,this perch is also a lonely place.
EoM
=================
Soon after the result coalition Chief Minister Arjun Munda held a pressconference refusing to accept that the result is a kind of mandate againstthe government.
“People expected the coalition partners to field a common candidate. We didnot press for it since we had no such pre-poll alliance. If you see thepercentage of votes that the coalition partners have garnered; thegovernment has not lost the election. There are certain other factors,”Munda said.
But some vital reasons of defeat were beyond the articulation of Munda. TheBJP’s pride cohesion of view and machinery became victims of various degreesof chaos. The dispute over candidature and BJP’s failure to prevent opendiscord or to discipline it, littered across the segments of Jamshedpurconstituency—Bahragora, Potka, Jamshedpur East and West; where it lostsubstantially against the JVM.
The message that widely traveled among the voters about the BJP was not thatof a cohesive alternative, it was the message of a party mired in its ownchaos, contradiction, conspiracy and confusions.
BJP probably confronted a much more complex set of challenges and respondedpoorly. “We started our preparation casually as if we are winning andelection is a mere formality. It is party organisation that contestselection. In Jamshedpur there was no party organisation since theorganisational elections were kept in abeyance. Larger view among the partyworkers was that Goswami is contesting as Chief Minister Arjun Munda’scandidate. He was snubbed by the voters and workers too,” a senior partyleader said.
Did Munda and Co. misread Ajay Kumar as politically too anodyne? BJP’s hopeof victory rested on a very confusing and dangerous notion about thedivision of Opposition’s vote. The probably missed to notice that the JVMchief Babulal is a macro manager who could play a political retailer also.
Kumar encashed his past popularity as a strict cop among the urban voters;Marandi stitched behind him the rural and tribal support. With around fivelakh tribal voters; Marandi had an open field to foray. Munda could devotelittle time to campaign. State Congress Pradeep Balmuchu remained neutraland negative in campaign with ominous grunts against his party candidateBanna Gupta. And when the result was declared Kumar had already set a newrecord by winning the Jamshedpur election by a margin of 1,55,726 votes;leaving Munda’s previous record far behind.
The Congress’ big claim as sole claimant of Muslim and urban votes liessplintered. Netting around 49,137 votes Banna was pushed to fifth positionafter the AJSU. AJSU despite the defeat has some reason to rejoice with99,058 votes. It is an unexpected expansion of the base of the AJSU.
The Congress can seek comfort in the deep discomfiture of the BJP. But thefine-print has created scramble and a blame game. “It the party has lostdeposit it is because some of the party seniors including Balmuchu haddecided so,” a senior party leader said. But a few things have made themwary. Babulal Marandi is more on “ekla chalo” note indicating seriousoverview to get rid of the compulsion of coalition politics with theCongress. The Jamshedpur result has added spokes in our wheels. “Let theassembly election come we will contest all 81 seats in Jharkhand,” JVMgeneral secretary Praveen Singh said.
Both the parties have publicly undertaken to review what went wrong withtheir respective challenges. Munda promised a review in the coming days, theCongress is set to boil with a review meeting the next week.
If there was a single message the election result handed over to thenational players, the regional players like JVM and the AJSU will hold-upthe ambitions of national parties. Nevertheless, for the JMM, a prominentregional party the election result brought stunning surprise. Its coretribal and Mahto constituents have drifted towards and JVM and the AJSUrespectively.
Even if coalition partners have lost miserably in this big-ticketparliamentary by-election, the government will remain safe. Munda hasassured this. Probably the ghost of Marandi will keep the flock together.For the BJP it is not an end. Having brought the party to its lowest perch,its leader may now have enough time and space to ponder for lowly as it is,this perch is also a lonely place.
EoM
=================
Friday, June 17, 2011
Banna’s big fight with Balmuchu
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
Congress’ roaring claim to conquer the Jamshedpur by-election during party workers’ meeting at Tilak Maidan in Jamshedpur was doubted by many hush-up voices within the party.
The meeting that was called to draft electoral strategy drifted towards division and protest over the candidature of Banna Gupta against the State Congress president Pradeep Balmuchu who lost in the ticket fray at the hand of the former.
More than the party and its, the by-election of Jamshedpur is a prestige point for party’s state in-charge Sakil Ahmed who is reported to instrumental behind the last moment denial of ticket to him.
They heaped blame on the central leadership for giving undue favour to Banna. Banna joined the party barely one and half year back — became an MLA and now bracing for a big jump in the politics; which they termed “a big injustice to a senior leader like Balmuchu who had brighter chances of success in the election.”
Ahmed was too polite to face their barb offensive fearing a face-off will bring loss of face of the party. “But he snubbed them too that party’s electoral loss will be considered as the leadership lapse of Balmuchu by the central Congress. He reminded them that the leadership never ignored Balmuchu and it never happened in the history of Congress that a leader was given so much of years (seven years) to serve as party president beyond set tenure,” a senior party leader confided.
The fissure and fault-line in the party was distinctly visible on the very day of the filing of nomination papers by Gupta; marked by conspicuously absence of the Balmuchu camp.
Barring Hidaytullah of the Balmuchu camp and a few party leaders like MLA Gitashree Oraon, none turned-up which is generally considered an occasion to present a united face of the party. It remained a low key affair; indicating gap in the party line that Banna tried to fill-up by carting local party leaders.
Nevertheless, the entry of Banna has made the contest quite interesting an affair where he is in contest with Sudhir Mahto (JMM), Dineshnanda Goswami (BJP), Ajay Kumar (JVM), Astik Mahto (AJSU) and Suman Mahto (Trinmool Congress).
A good crowd puller and popular face Banna has already displayed his control over the electorates by defeating BJP veteran Saryu Roy in Jamshedpur (West) assembly constituency in the last election.
Banna has good hold over Jamshedpur (East) also but East and West alone can not write success story of Banna. There is Ghatsila too, where Balmuchu is still in the position to tilt the balance despite he lost the last assembly election against JMM’s Ramdash Soren.
Even party’s district and block level units have formidable presence of Balmuchu’s men. Banna is a declared member of anti-Balmuchu camp that has made its distaste to his style of functioning for turning the party into a defunct and dysfunctional entity.
Even Balmuchu had not anticipated such anti-climax of his claim for candidature since he was widely believed and discussed among top party bosses as one and only whose candidature was certain.
Much before the schedules of Jamshedpur by-election was declared Balmuchu had started doing ground work of future battle by holding regular meetings and press conferences. But the decision to field Banna at the last moment dashed his dream to the ground. Caught unaware, Balmuchu had even purchased nomination papers whereas the central leadership firmly told him to review his claim.
“If the division remains continue and the Balmuchu camp goes inert it will be very tough for Banna to find even a single Congress worker in the rural area for campaigning,” a party office bearer said.
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
Congress’ roaring claim to conquer the Jamshedpur by-election during party workers’ meeting at Tilak Maidan in Jamshedpur was doubted by many hush-up voices within the party.
The meeting that was called to draft electoral strategy drifted towards division and protest over the candidature of Banna Gupta against the State Congress president Pradeep Balmuchu who lost in the ticket fray at the hand of the former.
More than the party and its, the by-election of Jamshedpur is a prestige point for party’s state in-charge Sakil Ahmed who is reported to instrumental behind the last moment denial of ticket to him.
They heaped blame on the central leadership for giving undue favour to Banna. Banna joined the party barely one and half year back — became an MLA and now bracing for a big jump in the politics; which they termed “a big injustice to a senior leader like Balmuchu who had brighter chances of success in the election.”
Ahmed was too polite to face their barb offensive fearing a face-off will bring loss of face of the party. “But he snubbed them too that party’s electoral loss will be considered as the leadership lapse of Balmuchu by the central Congress. He reminded them that the leadership never ignored Balmuchu and it never happened in the history of Congress that a leader was given so much of years (seven years) to serve as party president beyond set tenure,” a senior party leader confided.
The fissure and fault-line in the party was distinctly visible on the very day of the filing of nomination papers by Gupta; marked by conspicuously absence of the Balmuchu camp.
Barring Hidaytullah of the Balmuchu camp and a few party leaders like MLA Gitashree Oraon, none turned-up which is generally considered an occasion to present a united face of the party. It remained a low key affair; indicating gap in the party line that Banna tried to fill-up by carting local party leaders.
Nevertheless, the entry of Banna has made the contest quite interesting an affair where he is in contest with Sudhir Mahto (JMM), Dineshnanda Goswami (BJP), Ajay Kumar (JVM), Astik Mahto (AJSU) and Suman Mahto (Trinmool Congress).
A good crowd puller and popular face Banna has already displayed his control over the electorates by defeating BJP veteran Saryu Roy in Jamshedpur (West) assembly constituency in the last election.
Banna has good hold over Jamshedpur (East) also but East and West alone can not write success story of Banna. There is Ghatsila too, where Balmuchu is still in the position to tilt the balance despite he lost the last assembly election against JMM’s Ramdash Soren.
Even party’s district and block level units have formidable presence of Balmuchu’s men. Banna is a declared member of anti-Balmuchu camp that has made its distaste to his style of functioning for turning the party into a defunct and dysfunctional entity.
Even Balmuchu had not anticipated such anti-climax of his claim for candidature since he was widely believed and discussed among top party bosses as one and only whose candidature was certain.
Much before the schedules of Jamshedpur by-election was declared Balmuchu had started doing ground work of future battle by holding regular meetings and press conferences. But the decision to field Banna at the last moment dashed his dream to the ground. Caught unaware, Balmuchu had even purchased nomination papers whereas the central leadership firmly told him to review his claim.
“If the division remains continue and the Balmuchu camp goes inert it will be very tough for Banna to find even a single Congress worker in the rural area for campaigning,” a party office bearer said.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Politics meets cricket at fine leg
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
It was a semi final World Cup match between the sub-continent’s two arch rivals India and Pakistan, watched and commented on like a proxy war.
India crumbled on Wednesday afternoon but what rued and raged people and politicians back to the home town of Team India captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, he crumbled like crunchy popcorn: 25 runs wasting 42 balls and precious 62 precious minutes.
Politicians of the state were the avid watcher of this semi-final offering value judgment and commentary over what went wrong with India. Former BJP State President and MLA Raghuwar Das could not resist from inserting the element of nationalism in what he commented over India-Pakistan match.
“Watching cricket with sportsman spirit is a different thing. But when India plays against Pakistan, national sentiment overpowers all. I belong to the same category of cricket watchers,” Das said after India ended with 260 of scores.
Das had cancelled all his schedules to watch the semi final. Asked to comment over Indian batsmen poor performance against punch of Pakistan he said: “They have taken poor batting ethics, if not proper form. Except Sachin Tendulkar and Virendra Sehwag to some extent, they delivered a dud against promised humdinger.”
Das was not so much of praise for Dhoni. “No improvement upon the past performance. In fact in all the World Cup matches of this series India have played, Dhoni has shown that he had exhausted his quota of common sense in cricket. See SK Raina, he is more impressive than Dhoni.
Raina exploded into his ferocious self, slashing and pummeling the ball all round the park which had gone, in moments, from hushed foreboding to riotous revelry.
Dhoni was clearly under pressure after India returned to portentous habit of piling wickets instead of piling runs. Dhoni lumbered back to the pavilion, with his bat that wielded no magic: much against the expectation of his fans and followers in Ranchi who turned from prayer to penance to wish him success.
It was amazing to note that all those politicians who watched this tense match had fine understanding of the cricket as though politics met cricket at the fine leg.
“Only Virendra Sahwag could match the style of Sachin and the rest disappointed us especially middle order batsmen. I do not know as to what goes wrong with India against Pakistan,” senior Congress leader Radhakrishna Kishore said.
Kishore commented over the batting medley of India team by saying that Indians have the tendency of the Mughals to begin with and then suddenly morph into the later Mughals — bunch of hopeless fellows, delinquent squanderers of accumulated riches.
Minister of the Disaster Management Department, Raja Peter, had returned to his home early to watch but had not anticipated a disaster of India team.
“Only three batsmen delivered according to their potential, Sachin, Sehwag and Raina. From Pakistani side Sahid Afridi at least kept his promise stop Sachin from hitting century. But Dhoni dampened my spirit,” he said.
But then Peter suddenly spoke in the fashion of an expert. “Why to blame batsmen alone for the ruin of the team. Last day it rained in Mohali. Moist pitch supports bowlers.” Peter has been ministering the department meant to control draught in Jharkhand; struggling quite desperately. If he blamed rain for ruin of India in Mohali, he in the past equally blamed no rain for the rue of the people of this state.
By the time this report was filed Pakistan were hitting away furiously till the last man standing and Indians were repairing their jangled nerve. Avid watchers had much to cheer about when India beat the Pakistani aggression with a convincing 29 run win even as Dhoni’s home crowd burst into loud cheers and wild celebrations.
Looking for some juicy bytes, electronic media thronged in large numbers outside the Indian skipper’s residence. Now over to Mumbai.
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
It was a semi final World Cup match between the sub-continent’s two arch rivals India and Pakistan, watched and commented on like a proxy war.
India crumbled on Wednesday afternoon but what rued and raged people and politicians back to the home town of Team India captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, he crumbled like crunchy popcorn: 25 runs wasting 42 balls and precious 62 precious minutes.
Politicians of the state were the avid watcher of this semi-final offering value judgment and commentary over what went wrong with India. Former BJP State President and MLA Raghuwar Das could not resist from inserting the element of nationalism in what he commented over India-Pakistan match.
“Watching cricket with sportsman spirit is a different thing. But when India plays against Pakistan, national sentiment overpowers all. I belong to the same category of cricket watchers,” Das said after India ended with 260 of scores.
Das had cancelled all his schedules to watch the semi final. Asked to comment over Indian batsmen poor performance against punch of Pakistan he said: “They have taken poor batting ethics, if not proper form. Except Sachin Tendulkar and Virendra Sehwag to some extent, they delivered a dud against promised humdinger.”
Das was not so much of praise for Dhoni. “No improvement upon the past performance. In fact in all the World Cup matches of this series India have played, Dhoni has shown that he had exhausted his quota of common sense in cricket. See SK Raina, he is more impressive than Dhoni.
Raina exploded into his ferocious self, slashing and pummeling the ball all round the park which had gone, in moments, from hushed foreboding to riotous revelry.
Dhoni was clearly under pressure after India returned to portentous habit of piling wickets instead of piling runs. Dhoni lumbered back to the pavilion, with his bat that wielded no magic: much against the expectation of his fans and followers in Ranchi who turned from prayer to penance to wish him success.
It was amazing to note that all those politicians who watched this tense match had fine understanding of the cricket as though politics met cricket at the fine leg.
“Only Virendra Sahwag could match the style of Sachin and the rest disappointed us especially middle order batsmen. I do not know as to what goes wrong with India against Pakistan,” senior Congress leader Radhakrishna Kishore said.
Kishore commented over the batting medley of India team by saying that Indians have the tendency of the Mughals to begin with and then suddenly morph into the later Mughals — bunch of hopeless fellows, delinquent squanderers of accumulated riches.
Minister of the Disaster Management Department, Raja Peter, had returned to his home early to watch but had not anticipated a disaster of India team.
“Only three batsmen delivered according to their potential, Sachin, Sehwag and Raina. From Pakistani side Sahid Afridi at least kept his promise stop Sachin from hitting century. But Dhoni dampened my spirit,” he said.
But then Peter suddenly spoke in the fashion of an expert. “Why to blame batsmen alone for the ruin of the team. Last day it rained in Mohali. Moist pitch supports bowlers.” Peter has been ministering the department meant to control draught in Jharkhand; struggling quite desperately. If he blamed rain for ruin of India in Mohali, he in the past equally blamed no rain for the rue of the people of this state.
By the time this report was filed Pakistan were hitting away furiously till the last man standing and Indians were repairing their jangled nerve. Avid watchers had much to cheer about when India beat the Pakistani aggression with a convincing 29 run win even as Dhoni’s home crowd burst into loud cheers and wild celebrations.
Looking for some juicy bytes, electronic media thronged in large numbers outside the Indian skipper’s residence. Now over to Mumbai.
Politics meets cricket at fine leg
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
It was a semi final World Cup match between the sub-continent’s two arch rivals India and Pakistan, watched and commented on like a proxy war.
India crumbled on Wednesday afternoon but what rued and raged people and politicians back to the home town of Team India captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, he crumbled like crunchy popcorn: 25 runs wasting 42 balls and precious 62 precious minutes.
Politicians of the state were the avid watcher of this semi-final offering value judgment and commentary over what went wrong with India. Former BJP State President and MLA Raghuwar Das could not resist from inserting the element of nationalism in what he commented over India-Pakistan match.
“Watching cricket with sportsman spirit is a different thing. But when India plays against Pakistan, national sentiment overpowers all. I belong to the same category of cricket watchers,” Das said after India ended with 260 of scores.
Das had cancelled all his schedules to watch the semi final. Asked to comment over Indian batsmen poor performance against punch of Pakistan he said: “They have taken poor batting ethics, if not proper form. Except Sachin Tendulkar and Virendra Sehwag to some extent, they delivered a dud against promised humdinger.”
Das was not so much of praise for Dhoni. “No improvement upon the past performance. In fact in all the World Cup matches of this series India have played, Dhoni has shown that he had exhausted his quota of common sense in cricket. See SK Raina, he is more impressive than Dhoni.
Raina exploded into his ferocious self, slashing and pummeling the ball all round the park which had gone, in moments, from hushed foreboding to riotous revelry.
Dhoni was clearly under pressure after India returned to portentous habit of piling wickets instead of piling runs. Dhoni lumbered back to the pavilion, with his bat that wielded no magic: much against the expectation of his fans and followers in Ranchi who turned from prayer to penance to wish him success.
It was amazing to note that all those politicians who watched this tense match had fine understanding of the cricket as though politics met cricket at the fine leg.
“Only Virendra Sahwag could match the style of Sachin and the rest disappointed us especially middle order batsmen. I do not know as to what goes wrong with India against Pakistan,” senior Congress leader Radhakrishna Kishore said.
Kishore commented over the batting medley of India team by saying that Indians have the tendency of the Mughals to begin with and then suddenly morph into the later Mughals — bunch of hopeless fellows, delinquent squanderers of accumulated riches.
Minister of the Disaster Management Department had returned to his home early to watch but had not anticipated a disaster of India team.
“Only three batsmen delivered according to their potential, Sachin, Sehwag and Raina. From Pakistani side Sahid Afridi at least kept his promise to Sachin from hitting century. But Dhoni dampened my spirit,” he said.
But then Peter suddenly spoke in the fashion of an expert. “Why to blame batsmen alone for the ruin of the team. Last day it rained in Mohali. Moist pitch supports bowlers.” Peter has been ministering the department meant to control draught in Jharkhand; struggling quite desperately. If he blamed rain for ruin of India in Mohali, he in the past equally blamed no rain for the rue of the people of this state.
By the time this report was filed Pakistan were hitting a classy ton at the loss of three wickets. Avid watchers were repairing their jangled nerves after Pakistan lost two wickets.
By the time this report was filed Pakistan were hitting away furiously till the last man standing. Avid watchers had much to cheer about when India beat the Pakistani aggression with a convincing 29 run win even as Dhoni’s home crowd burst into loud cheers and wild celebrations.
Looking for some juicy bytes, electronic media thronged in large numbers outside the Indian skipper’s residence. They will get their byte and good frame to feed their channels anyway. Now over to Mumbai.
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
It was a semi final World Cup match between the sub-continent’s two arch rivals India and Pakistan, watched and commented on like a proxy war.
India crumbled on Wednesday afternoon but what rued and raged people and politicians back to the home town of Team India captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, he crumbled like crunchy popcorn: 25 runs wasting 42 balls and precious 62 precious minutes.
Politicians of the state were the avid watcher of this semi-final offering value judgment and commentary over what went wrong with India. Former BJP State President and MLA Raghuwar Das could not resist from inserting the element of nationalism in what he commented over India-Pakistan match.
“Watching cricket with sportsman spirit is a different thing. But when India plays against Pakistan, national sentiment overpowers all. I belong to the same category of cricket watchers,” Das said after India ended with 260 of scores.
Das had cancelled all his schedules to watch the semi final. Asked to comment over Indian batsmen poor performance against punch of Pakistan he said: “They have taken poor batting ethics, if not proper form. Except Sachin Tendulkar and Virendra Sehwag to some extent, they delivered a dud against promised humdinger.”
Das was not so much of praise for Dhoni. “No improvement upon the past performance. In fact in all the World Cup matches of this series India have played, Dhoni has shown that he had exhausted his quota of common sense in cricket. See SK Raina, he is more impressive than Dhoni.
Raina exploded into his ferocious self, slashing and pummeling the ball all round the park which had gone, in moments, from hushed foreboding to riotous revelry.
Dhoni was clearly under pressure after India returned to portentous habit of piling wickets instead of piling runs. Dhoni lumbered back to the pavilion, with his bat that wielded no magic: much against the expectation of his fans and followers in Ranchi who turned from prayer to penance to wish him success.
It was amazing to note that all those politicians who watched this tense match had fine understanding of the cricket as though politics met cricket at the fine leg.
“Only Virendra Sahwag could match the style of Sachin and the rest disappointed us especially middle order batsmen. I do not know as to what goes wrong with India against Pakistan,” senior Congress leader Radhakrishna Kishore said.
Kishore commented over the batting medley of India team by saying that Indians have the tendency of the Mughals to begin with and then suddenly morph into the later Mughals — bunch of hopeless fellows, delinquent squanderers of accumulated riches.
Minister of the Disaster Management Department had returned to his home early to watch but had not anticipated a disaster of India team.
“Only three batsmen delivered according to their potential, Sachin, Sehwag and Raina. From Pakistani side Sahid Afridi at least kept his promise to Sachin from hitting century. But Dhoni dampened my spirit,” he said.
But then Peter suddenly spoke in the fashion of an expert. “Why to blame batsmen alone for the ruin of the team. Last day it rained in Mohali. Moist pitch supports bowlers.” Peter has been ministering the department meant to control draught in Jharkhand; struggling quite desperately. If he blamed rain for ruin of India in Mohali, he in the past equally blamed no rain for the rue of the people of this state.
By the time this report was filed Pakistan were hitting a classy ton at the loss of three wickets. Avid watchers were repairing their jangled nerves after Pakistan lost two wickets.
By the time this report was filed Pakistan were hitting away furiously till the last man standing. Avid watchers had much to cheer about when India beat the Pakistani aggression with a convincing 29 run win even as Dhoni’s home crowd burst into loud cheers and wild celebrations.
Looking for some juicy bytes, electronic media thronged in large numbers outside the Indian skipper’s residence. They will get their byte and good frame to feed their channels anyway. Now over to Mumbai.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Gadkari to arrive Jharkhand
Vijay Deo Jha
Ranchi
BJP national President Nitin Gadkari is not a lame-duck yet he decided to visit Jharkhand a little lamed by political reverses he suffered past year in Jharkhand and, on the evidence of the run-up, could well deliver a duck if you have prepared some pointed posers to pinch him.
Gadkari had escaped attending oath taking ceremony of the last two governments in Jharkhand — Shibu Soren and Arjun Munda. Though, his prior engagements were sited as the reason — politically reasons were different. Gadkari had lost too many things in Jharkhand. He will try to regain some of these.
In the Soren led government his party was in second fiddle role. In no time the trust deficit between the alliance partners, the BJP and the JMM became so wide that the government collapsed within five months. Though, the estranged political partners nudged into negotiation bid soon after, but then, it had left bad taste in the mouth of Gadkari. Gadkari had the first such encounter with Jharkhand where politics is always pregnant with queer ploy and possibilities even beyond shrewd sense.
Probably he thought to collect burnished trophy of credit to form government in Jharkhand with the JMM. The obvious aim was to keep the Congress at way to run the government in Jharkhand through proxy. Certainly his coterie must not have briefed him correctly about Jharkhand and the JMM. The alliance crumbled in no time and the government collapsed with five months.
The later episode of government formation with the JMM cost Gadkari and his party dearly. The government was formed but at the cost of the image of the party and his own. Within the party and outside his leadership was questioned and the BJP as power hungry. But then, Jharkhand taught him some critical lessons in politics and political judgment that he could not have learnt in his past stint in politics.
So Gadkari will be on two-day visit in Jharkhand from Saturday. The state capital has turned into the town of arch and hording to welcome him. Gadkari will attend the meeting of party workers who will turn not less than 50000 in number to attend it. The BJP leaders have attached so much importance to his maiden visit to Jharkhand.
“Gadkari had taken the government formation exercise as challenge. It was his initiative,” a senior party leader said. “This government bears his impression. Road and electricity are his pet subjects which are with the BJP,” he said. But the leader conceded that the state government has yet to graduate beyond promises and plans to offer anything tactile over infrastructural development.
So is the case with the party here in Jharkhand that requires real organisational overhaul at the grass root level. The organisational elections have been a slow pace affair from the last many months. None in the party is ready to give any deadline by the time when the elections will be completed. Factionalism in the BJP is still on boil one that had started last year between Munda and the then state party president Raghuwar Das.
Source in the BJP said that importance of the visit of Gadkari actually lies in future. “The assembly elections of the five states may change the scenario of the national politics. There could be mid term election, hence, BJP is looking for alliance partners in different states. JMM could be well on the card of the party,” source said.
Gadkari is sure to face questions over the credibility of such alliance. When time will come to criticize the central government over price hike Gadkari will have to face a tough poser. The state government has increased the price of petroleum and diesel.
Vijay Deo Jha
Ranchi
BJP national President Nitin Gadkari is not a lame-duck yet he decided to visit Jharkhand a little lamed by political reverses he suffered past year in Jharkhand and, on the evidence of the run-up, could well deliver a duck if you have prepared some pointed posers to pinch him.
Gadkari had escaped attending oath taking ceremony of the last two governments in Jharkhand — Shibu Soren and Arjun Munda. Though, his prior engagements were sited as the reason — politically reasons were different. Gadkari had lost too many things in Jharkhand. He will try to regain some of these.
In the Soren led government his party was in second fiddle role. In no time the trust deficit between the alliance partners, the BJP and the JMM became so wide that the government collapsed within five months. Though, the estranged political partners nudged into negotiation bid soon after, but then, it had left bad taste in the mouth of Gadkari. Gadkari had the first such encounter with Jharkhand where politics is always pregnant with queer ploy and possibilities even beyond shrewd sense.
Probably he thought to collect burnished trophy of credit to form government in Jharkhand with the JMM. The obvious aim was to keep the Congress at way to run the government in Jharkhand through proxy. Certainly his coterie must not have briefed him correctly about Jharkhand and the JMM. The alliance crumbled in no time and the government collapsed with five months.
The later episode of government formation with the JMM cost Gadkari and his party dearly. The government was formed but at the cost of the image of the party and his own. Within the party and outside his leadership was questioned and the BJP as power hungry. But then, Jharkhand taught him some critical lessons in politics and political judgment that he could not have learnt in his past stint in politics.
So Gadkari will be on two-day visit in Jharkhand from Saturday. The state capital has turned into the town of arch and hording to welcome him. Gadkari will attend the meeting of party workers who will turn not less than 50000 in number to attend it. The BJP leaders have attached so much importance to his maiden visit to Jharkhand.
“Gadkari had taken the government formation exercise as challenge. It was his initiative,” a senior party leader said. “This government bears his impression. Road and electricity are his pet subjects which are with the BJP,” he said. But the leader conceded that the state government has yet to graduate beyond promises and plans to offer anything tactile over infrastructural development.
So is the case with the party here in Jharkhand that requires real organisational overhaul at the grass root level. The organisational elections have been a slow pace affair from the last many months. None in the party is ready to give any deadline by the time when the elections will be completed. Factionalism in the BJP is still on boil one that had started last year between Munda and the then state party president Raghuwar Das.
Source in the BJP said that importance of the visit of Gadkari actually lies in future. “The assembly elections of the five states may change the scenario of the national politics. There could be mid term election, hence, BJP is looking for alliance partners in different states. JMM could be well on the card of the party,” source said.
Gadkari is sure to face questions over the credibility of such alliance. When time will come to criticize the central government over price hike Gadkari will have to face a tough poser. The state government has increased the price of petroleum and diesel.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Opp raises a stink, Munda silent over Tata lease issue
RANCHI | Friday, March 25, 2011
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
The Opposition made best use of its vocal chords and ‘Bose Acoustics’ to grill Chief Minister Arjun Munda over ‘the Tata land lease issue,’ during the Budget session. Munda, however, had switched to safe mode - all ears but silent, not uttering even a word.
As the session started on Thursday, the Opposition led by JVM’s Pradeep Yadav and Congress’ KN Tripathi rushed to the well of the House. Demanding Munda’s statement over this issue the Opposition alleged that Munda in his previous regime as CM, in 2005, had unduly favoured the Tata to renew land lease. The CBI probe was quickly demanded and then entire Opposition rushed to the well with time tested sloganeering.
“Lok tantra ka hatyara hai, hai, down to the murderer of democracy.” The precious time allotted to the Question Hour and Zero Hour became the victim of din and uproar. Speaker CP Singh made repeated calls for calm to allow the normal functioning of House. None in the Opposition appeared interested to grill the government through ‘Question and Zero Hour’ when they had already got Tata stick to thrash Munda.
The treasury had no effective lieutenant today to give matching reply to the Opposition: Munda was not present in the House that time. A couple of shuddering marshals were meekly bracing-up to stop the House to turn in to a pitched battle ground, though. The House was adjourned twice, from 11 am to 12 AM and then 12 AM to 2 PM.
Opposition members used the occasion differently: political, academic and otherwise. Besides pillorying Munda, Yadav exhibited his command over gray and grave records of the so called dealing between the Tata and Munda over renewal of land lease. The Opposition charged Munda had exempted dues of an amount of Rs 5937 crore that the Tata owed to the government. Munda in turn secured contract from the Tata for the transport company allegedly owned by her wife Mira Munda.
Thick charges and earthy adjectives were flowing from the Opposition’s side in earthy vernacular. English was suddenly pressed into service in the whole turmoil. “ab English mekaun bol raha hai ji. Sab log anrezi thode na samjhega, now who has started speaking in English, not all will understand English,” one said.
Tripathi careened his head back towards quibblers with arch brow. In short: shut up you fool if do not know English, just listen me. He did not say this. He gestured it obviously. Tripathi read aloud a paragraph of the book ‘India in Turmoil’ authored by former Jharkhand Governor Ved Marwah who in his book had raised certain points related to Munda’s relation with the Tata. It was for the second time when Tripathi had quoted Marwah to trouble Munda — he had done it during Munda government’s Trust Vote on September 14 last year. A fulsome praise and more sloganeering, thereafter, Tripathi lumbered the trophy for his serious devotion towards book.
The first half of the show ended with the entire Opposition walking out of the House after successful disruption of the session. The second half of the session was the continuation of the first and started where it had left. Yadav was replaced by Samresh Singh of the JVM. And the Chief Minister had too come back to the House after backroom musing. A recharged Opposition again rushed to the well. Same chaos, same din and adjournment, finally. Munda with his silence, as irritated Opposition members into more clamours until their robust lungs gasped for breath. The Opposition boycotted the House with a firm resolution to disrupt the session over this issue on the final day of the session, Friday. Assembly’s Bose Sound system was in perfect sync with Opposition’s acoustics, only Munda chose not to hear this.
RANCHI | Friday, March 25, 2011
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
The Opposition made best use of its vocal chords and ‘Bose Acoustics’ to grill Chief Minister Arjun Munda over ‘the Tata land lease issue,’ during the Budget session. Munda, however, had switched to safe mode - all ears but silent, not uttering even a word.
As the session started on Thursday, the Opposition led by JVM’s Pradeep Yadav and Congress’ KN Tripathi rushed to the well of the House. Demanding Munda’s statement over this issue the Opposition alleged that Munda in his previous regime as CM, in 2005, had unduly favoured the Tata to renew land lease. The CBI probe was quickly demanded and then entire Opposition rushed to the well with time tested sloganeering.
“Lok tantra ka hatyara hai, hai, down to the murderer of democracy.” The precious time allotted to the Question Hour and Zero Hour became the victim of din and uproar. Speaker CP Singh made repeated calls for calm to allow the normal functioning of House. None in the Opposition appeared interested to grill the government through ‘Question and Zero Hour’ when they had already got Tata stick to thrash Munda.
The treasury had no effective lieutenant today to give matching reply to the Opposition: Munda was not present in the House that time. A couple of shuddering marshals were meekly bracing-up to stop the House to turn in to a pitched battle ground, though. The House was adjourned twice, from 11 am to 12 AM and then 12 AM to 2 PM.
Opposition members used the occasion differently: political, academic and otherwise. Besides pillorying Munda, Yadav exhibited his command over gray and grave records of the so called dealing between the Tata and Munda over renewal of land lease. The Opposition charged Munda had exempted dues of an amount of Rs 5937 crore that the Tata owed to the government. Munda in turn secured contract from the Tata for the transport company allegedly owned by her wife Mira Munda.
Thick charges and earthy adjectives were flowing from the Opposition’s side in earthy vernacular. English was suddenly pressed into service in the whole turmoil. “ab English mekaun bol raha hai ji. Sab log anrezi thode na samjhega, now who has started speaking in English, not all will understand English,” one said.
Tripathi careened his head back towards quibblers with arch brow. In short: shut up you fool if do not know English, just listen me. He did not say this. He gestured it obviously. Tripathi read aloud a paragraph of the book ‘India in Turmoil’ authored by former Jharkhand Governor Ved Marwah who in his book had raised certain points related to Munda’s relation with the Tata. It was for the second time when Tripathi had quoted Marwah to trouble Munda — he had done it during Munda government’s Trust Vote on September 14 last year. A fulsome praise and more sloganeering, thereafter, Tripathi lumbered the trophy for his serious devotion towards book.
The first half of the show ended with the entire Opposition walking out of the House after successful disruption of the session. The second half of the session was the continuation of the first and started where it had left. Yadav was replaced by Samresh Singh of the JVM. And the Chief Minister had too come back to the House after backroom musing. A recharged Opposition again rushed to the well. Same chaos, same din and adjournment, finally. Munda with his silence, as irritated Opposition members into more clamours until their robust lungs gasped for breath. The Opposition boycotted the House with a firm resolution to disrupt the session over this issue on the final day of the session, Friday. Assembly’s Bose Sound system was in perfect sync with Opposition’s acoustics, only Munda chose not to hear this.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Lawmakers disrupt House over Palamu
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Vijay Deo Jha | Ranchi
Assembly Speaker CP Singh must have been caught in a Catch 22 situation wondering whether to snub or sympathise with legislators from his home pocket Palamu for taking the Government to task for ignoring drought-stricken Palamu in the annual Budget.
He snubbed them after Congress MLAs KN Tripathi (Daltonganj) and Chandrasekhar Dubey (Bishrampur) and others rushed to the well of the House and threatened to disrupt the proceedings.
As the session began on Tuesday, the Congress MLAs supported by their other Congress colleagues Ananth Pratap Dev and Sawna Lakra accused the Government for not making any budgetary provision to tackle drought in Palamu; one of the worst-affected division in Jharkhand.
The Speaker’s repeated call for calm went unheard forcing Singh to adjourn the House. An exasperated Singh denounced Tripathi and Dubey’s behaviour and cautioned them not to undermine his authority, lest they planned to hold the House to ransom.
Singh’s repeated assurance to take up the case of Palamu had no takers. “You cannot appropriate the right of rest of the MLAs by disturbing the House. Such bullying tactics will not work, mind you.”
The Speaker expressed his annoyance during an interaction with the media on the sidelines of the Session. “A few people disturbed the House and broke decorum. They entered the House casually pointing fingers at the office of the Speaker and threatened to disrupt the proceedings, which is not good. May good sense prevail upon them.”
Initially, he even refused to accept an adjournment motion brought by Tripathi and CPI (ML) MLA Vinod Singh, for a special debate on the Palamu issue.
The second Session too remained sorry affair though without any disruption. Both Treasury and Opposition demanded the Government take a final decision over the MLA Area Development Fund which is dormant from the past one year. As the House resumed the Session RJD MLA Sanjay Singh, Yogendra Saw and Dubey (Congress) and Bandhu Tirkey rushed to the well of the House and demanded the Government take a final decision on the matter.
From the last one year no amount has been released from the said fund leading the MLAs to secure any fund for the development of their respective constituency.
Intervening in the matter, the JVM MLA Pradeep Yadav said the Government should not keep the MLAs waiting. “Either you continue with it or take a decision to abolish it but do not delay. MLAs are facing the barbs of the people everyday,” he said.
Yadav was supported by BJP MLA Raghuwar Das and JD (U) MLA Sudha Chaudhary. Explaining the Government’s position, Deputy Chief Minister Sudesh Mahato said that the matter will be taken up during the cabinet meeting scheduled on Tuesday evening.
Homour out dilemma in for Speaker
Opp theatrics reduce proceedings to farce
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI | Saturday, March 12, 2011
First brawl and din and then chaos and then restless souls rolling their sleeves ready to rush to the well and then disruption and adjournment, finally, have occupies more space of reporters’ note book than any meaningful debate if it fortunately allotted time to get off the ground.
This ongoing budget session will be remembered more for disruption than debate, when a final report, elegy is more appropriate, will be read and written the day the session will be laid to the rest: February 25.
The JVM heavyweight Samresh Singh, on Friday, displayed cat like agility and jumped upon the reporters table. The table turned podium for a pure political propaganda of Singh over Bipasa (Bijli, Pani, Sadak). As though it is election time and he is addressing his core constituents, Singh rattled his rivals sitting on other side of the tense battleline.
Not so many heaped plaudits upon Singh’s theatrics, even by some of those who form the Opposition. “He was an artist with the Jatra Party (a traditional drama troupe), the impact is so deep sheeted even today,” a Congress MLA lightly told.
Singh is among politicians of Jharkhand who does not mind even snubbing the Chair and rubbishing the rule of the House if he reasonably feels he has points to profess the way he likes.
Hurriedly alighted from the table; Singh was not allowed to stay for a long, probably, the table could have been able to sustain the weight of his rampage or he could not have been able to sustain his own weight. “I am raising a vital point you can not ignore this.” In short: shut-up you fool just listen me.
ON Thursday, another JVM MLA, Nizamuddin Ansari was in a near nudity show for his love for Bipasa. When he emerged outside of the House he was perfect photo opportunity for lensemen — he had tore his kurta out of grief and grudge against the state government for neglecting vital issues like electricity and water.
A couple of days back Congress-JVM Opposition ran a parallel show inside the House for nearly half an hour over corruption charges against state’s Chief Secretary Ashok Kumar Singh. The Speaker CP Singh expelled five MLAs including Chandrasekhar Dubey, Pradeep Yadav, KN Tripathi, Sawna Lakra, Yogendra Saw for unruly show. Their expulsion was later revoked.
But by then, Speaker had come under some serious attacks from the Opposition for taking side of the government. “Speaker sarkar ke jeb me. Speaker rajniti karte hai,” are the daily chorus of Opposition.
If the reporters of the State Assembly would have properly maintained the proceeding records of the session, they would probably tell you as to how many times Speaker rammed into confrontation which is unofficially the job of treasury.
Sample this: “Sadan me aapko rajniti nahi chamkane denge, (I will not allow you to polish your politics in the House).” Kisi ki dadagiri nahi chalne denge yahan, (Will not allow anybody to bully the House).” Do chaar logno ne sadan ko Akhada bana diya hai nahi chalne denge (Some people have turned the house a wrestling ground).”
He said this even when the Opposition was genuinely right over certain issues. Intermittently, Speaker also makes call for calm invoking epithets from parliamentary lexicon to order the unruly House.
The Opposition has blamed him for running the House for the convenience of the government. “He is unable to forget that he is a BJP MLA. He has shown nothing to us to believe him impartial. He snubs Opposition her does not take us in confidence,” JVM legislative party leader Pradeep Yadav complains.
Humour is essential mien of Singh and it can fairly be said that he offered many lighter moment to the House when it badly required. But humour alone does not make a good Speaker.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Confidence and confusion: Hemant’s first show
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
The House this morning was commodiously chilled of temperature but only Finance Minister Hemant Soren seemed to sense the heat. Putting tilak on his forehead, Soren had visited God and deity, probably, to gain strength to deliver humdinger in his maiden shown as FM.
His opponents believed him to deliver a dud. Soren chose not to remain on either side and read his budget speech that had no patina except several blushes to Hindi, he gave quite expectedly.
Those who had drafted his speech probably thought that as per convention FM speech must carry at least couple of verses, never mind, how bad the FM could be in handling those fine lines. “Sarkar ki Kaman yuvaon ne sambhali hai, Sadan ka lekar viswas, Vikash ki jyoti jalani hai, (Youths have taken rein of the government, taking the House in confidence we will bring development).”
Hemant looked both his sides, expecting some praise from CM Arjun Munda and Deputy CM Sudesh Mahato. So prosaic a deliverance, they could not understand; was it poetry, was it a prose or an interpolation.
Opposition’s boo-boo brigade was ready to tear his confidence and as soon as Hemant rose to speak the front benchers—Pradeep Yadav, Samresh Singh, Annapurna Devi and Bandhu Tirkey raised the issue of the leak of the budget.
“You must take moral responsibility of the leakage of the budget report before it was tabled.” Opposition’s first assault flummoxed Hemant to read his speech at super fast speed.
His forehead was constantly dehydrating, his hands constantly reaching out for repair and re-hydration. He was nervous in the manner of a rookie conductor asked to lead a philharmonic concert who has just got only rudimentary training at a music school.
“Samresh Da, Hemant ji Naye hai, sikhenge bolne dijiye inhen,” leader Opposition Rajendra Singh interrupted. The king of blusters had not subsided, only Hemant was pleading for an audience. Samresh often made faces and led his thumbs down to rattle so were other Opposition MLAs who termed budget a finely worded fraud.
Hemant’s speech was interrupted by frequent interruption by the Opposition with number of anonymous grunts of protest from the Opposition. At one point Pradeep Yadav did get up to question or to contradict something but he wasn’t able to go a long way after the Speaker CP Singh intervened to let FM to finish.
Yet, there were occasions when Hemant appeared bedeviled by critical opposition flipping over a critical section on concessions to minorities and dropping and slashing some of welfare programmes.
When questions were raised for dropping ‘Atal Bihari Vajpayee Rural Electricity Programme’ former FM Raghuwar Das was shuffling thick budget documents to ascertain the fact.
“Listen please. I have taken care of the interest of every section. You need to listen first,” he begged for audience.
Hemant was a probationary practitioner of the thankless art of budget presentation, of course, but here too was a man who was ministering not only the political fortune of his government but also trying to prove himself fit for the job.
During the speech Hemant nearly lost confidence several times but collected soon after. Reading measure after measure pouring data and detail he left the Opposition taxed. In between, Hemant tried to gain consensus over key and critical issues. One such he said: “Jharkhand is facing drought but the Centre has not given us desired help. Let us unite on this issue.”
“Such appeals could easily fetch tears and not rain and support. See agriculture sector has remained neglected so the farmers nothing substantial,” Pradeep Yadav said after the budget.
But in between Opposition’s fiery attack and jeer and Hemant’s own desperate bid to complete the show he was trying to shield himself by poking humour.
The day showed humour not as the essential mien of Hemant, though it can safely be said that he tried, poorly.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Uneasy calm in Ranchi as vote count begins
NATION | Thursday, February 17, 2011
VIJAY DEO JHA | RANCHI
A strange, almost eerie silence seems to mark the run-up to the counting day of the Kharsawan bypoll. For once the warring camps have fallen silent, locked in meditation and prayer, and a fervent wish to emerge winner. Interestingly though, there were no tall claims of victory, not even in a whisper!
Chief Minister and BJP candidate Arjun Munda is caught in a tough battle with the Opposition-supported JVM candidate Dashrath Gagrai aka Krishan Gagrai. Kharsawan poll is bound to be the most bitterly-fought affair of the State following Tamar Assembly, where the then Chief Minister Shibu Soren had faced the most humiliating defeat of his political career, the wound of which he nurses even today.
Munda’s bete noire, Babulal Marandi of the JVM, had assiduously done all to corner his rival. After all, Marandi had tried his best to smother Munda by raising contentious issues like CNT Act, PESA Act, displacement of tribals in his (Munda) own territory. Munda countered and convinced his electorate about a probable plot of the Opposition to put a break on the development of the State which he is chauffeuring.
Whether Marandi’ poll mechanism will work or not, will be known by Thursday afternoon when the counting gets over.
Not only the fate of Munda, but the also the fate of the State’s politics will be decided in this election. The fine sheet of the election result will be nothing but a document to establish whether Kharsawan belongs to Munda — partially or totally. He laboured hard to maintain his impressive record of winning the election in Kharsawan by a phenomenal margin. Speculations of marginal fall in his winning tally has come to disturb the BJP, nevertheless, his close aides are hopeful that this time too he will win with an impressive record.
If Munda wins he can claim having got the mandate for development. For Marandi, even the defeat, will be a trophy being the only robust Opposition with a lethal potential to tame and maim Munda and his party in the coming days. To cry or to laugh, is a classic Congress conundrum, the JVM has already pushed its ally to the wall by wresting Kharsawan seat. Congress’ role as a credible Opposition will be at stake in the coming days too. Who will have last laugh? Guess?
Down but not out, Munda remains Arjun in Kharsawan battle
RANCHI | Friday, February 18, 2011
VIJAY DEO JHA / PARVINDAR BHAT
RANCHI / JAMSHEDPUR
If Kharsawan largely decided to stay with BJP candidate and chief minister Arjun Munda, it did not reject JVM chief Babulal Marandi either.
Munda on Thursday; won the Kharsawan by-election against his only rival, Dashrath Gagrai aka Krishna Gagrai of the JVM, by a modest margin of 17,366 votes. Munda netted 61,701 votes against a total poll cast of around 70 against Gagrai who ended much impressively with 44,335 votes.
The tally is much below the expectation of his own party that expected him to repeat his impressive victory for the fourth consecutive time. Munda entered into the electoral politics for the first time in 1995 as the JMM candidate when he defeated his Congress rival and stalwart, Vijay Singh Soi.
The election result has come with a bold message: Kharsawan belongs to Munda — not his party, mind you. Assembly election 2000, Munda contested from Kharsawan as the BJP candidate against Congress' Vijay Singh Soi. Voters whacked Soi so badly in the poll fray that the man withdrew from active politics thereafter. A critical edge of around 15.60 per cent over Soi had hustled him to win. He left his opponents to gnash and grind in 2005 when he defeated Congress' Kunti Soi with an unbridgeable margin of 55,334 votes.
Even in 2009, when he fielded Mangal Singh Soi - more a doorkeeper than his aide - it was Munda who was pulled the strings. In 2005, Munda had set a benchmark of victory for himself that he was wished and widely reported to maintain. But how come, the man himself did not know?
But then, politics to him is much like the game of golf that he passionately played at the Golf Club in Jamshedpur even when the counting was going on. It was even when he was trailing by a margin of 21 and 807 votes in the second and fourth round of the counting. He was perfect in pushing the ball to the hole when he registered a remarkable lead over the JVM candidate in the sixth round that he maintained till last.
Munda will not like to answer pointed posers whether the reduced winning margin, is a doctoral pulse of ground slowly turning against him.
"Margin does not matter in the winning. The election was fought by the people of Kharsawan and they have won. People have reposed faith in me and my government. My opponents had spread endless rumours during the campaign. They have been answered by the people," he told the media.
After the result, images started rolling on the television screen; Marandi and Munda engaged in a verbal duel claiming people on their side.
"Then why his ministers were camping for him if he claims people fought on his side. We had no base in Kharsawan, yet we netted so many votes against him even though our candidate is a rookie," Marandi said displaying no sign of defeat.
Privately, Marandi's observation will disturb Munda when he sits down to figure out the poll puzzle. But right now, he can draw solace in the fact that his winning has given a new lease of life to his government.
Munda in fact, made no mistake in discerning Marandi's strategy to engage him on key and contentious issues: PESA Act, CNT Act, displacement of tribals in the name of establishing industry.
But then, Munda dismayed Marandi, the chief architect of Opposition unity at the end of the day. Munda was actively supported and canvassed during campaigning by his alliance partners in the government: JMM, AJSU and JD (U).
The election result has come with a premium for Marandi, he can encash it in the coming days. At least, the result has firmly pronounced the future role of the JVM as a credible Opposition to BJP.
The election of Kharsawan is not the first and the last of its kind. On Thursday, Munda's deputy and JMM leader Hemant Soren congratulated Munda on behalf of his party and president, Shibu Soren.
"The combine effort of the alliance partners worked in the election. We expect him to work for development. We expect him to honour the coalition dharma in the coming days," Hemant said.
You can give expectation another name: Jamshedpur parliamentary constituency. After supporting Munda for Kharsawan, the JMM has now demanded Jamshedpur which will be vacated soon after Munda resigns from here.
Munda mocks at Marandi after Kharsawan triumph
VIJAY DEO JHA | RANCHI National Page
BJP Chief Minister Arjun Munda wriggled out of dozens of public celebrations following his victory in Kharsawan on his way from Jamshedpur and, fired a fresh salvo against JVM chief Babulal Marandi, here in Ranchi, on Friday.
Munda did not name Marandi in his thirty minutes of interaction with the media and his party workers but, he made it amply clear that the person he loathed to name was Marandi. Munda on Thursday defeated Opposition-backed JVM candidate Dashrath Gagrai aka Krishna Gagrai with a modest margin of around 17,000 votes.
"We have won the election with the support of the people, despite rumours and confusions being spread by some people to divide the electorate. They have got an apt reply," he said.
Resorting to puns Munda lampooned Marandi for spreading confusion over the CNT Act, PESA and other issues. "The government has scraped CNT Act to allow the loot of the land of the tribal and others…how cheap," he quipped.
Cautioning his rivals that politicians and political parties should refrain from breaching people's trust, he flayed Marandi and the Opposition for ignoring this.
"Political parties have the right to seek support of the people over any issue. But they tried to fool the voters of Kharsawan…and were rejected and rebuffed."
On the PESA Act, under which three-tier panchayat elections in Jharkhand were held, Munda accepted that certain sections of the society might not have got adequate representation. "This aspect certainly needed to be looked into," he said, "but in Kharsawan I was surprised to see those people raising bogey over PESA Act who as MPs during 1996 had helped enactment of PESA as law in the Parliament."
This was a direct hit at former MP Sailendra Mahato who campaigned against Munda on behalf of Marandi.
"Such people spoke thousands contradictory things over PESA and CNT to different people, even forgetting that what they spoke an hour before, contradicted what they spoke an hour later."
Terming the Panchayat elections in Jharkhand as a decisive push towards women empowerment, he reckoned that around 60 of the total women population have got a direct say in the governance.
"But we never indulged in dirty politics over Panchayat election. We never laid sole claim for conducting panchayat election. It is really sorry to see them," he fumed. Promising to give a corruption free and development-oriented government in Jharkhand he promised social harmony.
Scorning Marandi for announcing the fall of Munda government a day after the Kharsawan result, and formation of the next government soon after, the CM said "Under the name of election many such people visited Kharsawan and stayed there for long and returned empty handed," he quipped.
Even as Munda was cheering the loyalists; the JVM was holding a Press conference to denounce his victory as " gross misuse of government machinery and money."
And the problem with the scribes was they could not afford to skip either of the conferences.
VIJAY DEO JHA | RANCHI National Page
BJP Chief Minister Arjun Munda wriggled out of dozens of public celebrations following his victory in Kharsawan on his way from Jamshedpur and, fired a fresh salvo against JVM chief Babulal Marandi, here in Ranchi, on Friday.
Munda did not name Marandi in his thirty minutes of interaction with the media and his party workers but, he made it amply clear that the person he loathed to name was Marandi. Munda on Thursday defeated Opposition-backed JVM candidate Dashrath Gagrai aka Krishna Gagrai with a modest margin of around 17,000 votes.
"We have won the election with the support of the people, despite rumours and confusions being spread by some people to divide the electorate. They have got an apt reply," he said.
Resorting to puns Munda lampooned Marandi for spreading confusion over the CNT Act, PESA and other issues. "The government has scraped CNT Act to allow the loot of the land of the tribal and others…how cheap," he quipped.
Cautioning his rivals that politicians and political parties should refrain from breaching people's trust, he flayed Marandi and the Opposition for ignoring this.
"Political parties have the right to seek support of the people over any issue. But they tried to fool the voters of Kharsawan…and were rejected and rebuffed."
On the PESA Act, under which three-tier panchayat elections in Jharkhand were held, Munda accepted that certain sections of the society might not have got adequate representation. "This aspect certainly needed to be looked into," he said, "but in Kharsawan I was surprised to see those people raising bogey over PESA Act who as MPs during 1996 had helped enactment of PESA as law in the Parliament."
This was a direct hit at former MP Sailendra Mahato who campaigned against Munda on behalf of Marandi.
"Such people spoke thousands contradictory things over PESA and CNT to different people, even forgetting that what they spoke an hour before, contradicted what they spoke an hour later."
Terming the Panchayat elections in Jharkhand as a decisive push towards women empowerment, he reckoned that around 60 of the total women population have got a direct say in the governance.
"But we never indulged in dirty politics over Panchayat election. We never laid sole claim for conducting panchayat election. It is really sorry to see them," he fumed. Promising to give a corruption free and development-oriented government in Jharkhand he promised social harmony.
Scorning Marandi for announcing the fall of Munda government a day after the Kharsawan result, and formation of the next government soon after, the CM said "Under the name of election many such people visited Kharsawan and stayed there for long and returned empty handed," he quipped.
Even as Munda was cheering the loyalists; the JVM was holding a Press conference to denounce his victory as " gross misuse of government machinery and money."
And the problem with the scribes was they could not afford to skip either of the conferences.
Teaching a lesson to the pseudo Gandhians
Vijay Deo Jha
Gumla
The story hadn’t occurred to us until; finally, it tormented us for not noticing.
It was like any normal day and time when we accidentally came across 70 years old Rati Tana Bhagat at village Karaundi in Gumla district arguing with the census official that he must be documented as the follower of a religion that many might not have heard, surely.
“Satt Ahimsa Gandhi Baba (truth, non-violence, Gandhi Baba),” this is my religion. Put it in your census record against the column of religion in your register.
Sweating profusely, Rati was gasping for breath probably due chronic asthma but, emphatic enough to make census officer Jitiya Oraon jittery to accommodate his religion on the census chart. Oraon told us that he is a primary school teacher and also president of Gumla Primary Teachers’ Association. Oraon was aware of the passion of Tanas for Mahatma Gandhi but he had no courage to convince them that there exists no column in the census form about the religion they insists to mention.
“I respect your sentiment and attachment for Mahatma Gandhi but there is no such column of religion in the census form,” Oraon makes last effort to find a way out. But by this time it was too late. Oraon had received overdose of mild rebuff hoping he will come to understand that how Tanas had embraced Gandhi’s movement for freedom struggle and Gandhian philosophy sans sophistry.
The old man is in no mood to compromise with his religion. Suddenly around 50 inquisitive Tana Bhagats clad in Khadi after emerging from daily prayer of Gandhi, joined the old man.
They insisted and remained firm till the poor school teacher had duly mentioned them as the follower of Satt Ahimsa Gandhi Baba religion. There may not be too many followers of the religion of this kind, before it insists to qualify officially, as a distinct religion in the Gazette of the government: a mixture of the fine elements of Hinduism, Islam, Christianity and many others. But before Oraon can pack-up and proceed they had put their thumb impression so that none could temper with their belief.
True to his name, Budhiman Tana Bhagat talked intelligently about the fast shrinking number of Tana Bhagat in Jharkhand and their problem. What Budhiman told reflected that he had some schooling as he appeared well equipped with the problem of Tanas. “We are tribal…but we follow Gandhiji as religion. There are few pockets in Lohardaga and Gumla where Tanas are now live,” he rued. Bisunpur, Ghaghra, Chnadrkop, Bamandih, Gazani, Kuru and few other he listed. There is no official record available to ascertain their number.
The British government had confiscated 3000 acres of their land as punishment for their unquestioned support for Mahatma. “Our land has not been returned…we are still to be granted cultivation right. Please tell the government about our problem. A year back government had assured us but nothing happened,” Budhiman said. The previous government of Madhu Koda had even announced to return such lands to the Tanas that did not graduate beyond the promise.
They had a long list of complaint but that does not douse their undying passion for Mahatma and his philosophy.
It is census time: Different religious bodies have regrouped to swell their number. For Tanas it was prayer time of Mahatma with clang and cymbal. Let the children of one God demand right of way and privilege over children of another God and let them ram into communal retribution. Tanas are not that.
Vijay Deo Jha
Gumla
The story hadn’t occurred to us until; finally, it tormented us for not noticing.
It was like any normal day and time when we accidentally came across 70 years old Rati Tana Bhagat at village Karaundi in Gumla district arguing with the census official that he must be documented as the follower of a religion that many might not have heard, surely.
“Satt Ahimsa Gandhi Baba (truth, non-violence, Gandhi Baba),” this is my religion. Put it in your census record against the column of religion in your register.
Sweating profusely, Rati was gasping for breath probably due chronic asthma but, emphatic enough to make census officer Jitiya Oraon jittery to accommodate his religion on the census chart. Oraon told us that he is a primary school teacher and also president of Gumla Primary Teachers’ Association. Oraon was aware of the passion of Tanas for Mahatma Gandhi but he had no courage to convince them that there exists no column in the census form about the religion they insists to mention.
“I respect your sentiment and attachment for Mahatma Gandhi but there is no such column of religion in the census form,” Oraon makes last effort to find a way out. But by this time it was too late. Oraon had received overdose of mild rebuff hoping he will come to understand that how Tanas had embraced Gandhi’s movement for freedom struggle and Gandhian philosophy sans sophistry.
The old man is in no mood to compromise with his religion. Suddenly around 50 inquisitive Tana Bhagats clad in Khadi after emerging from daily prayer of Gandhi, joined the old man.
They insisted and remained firm till the poor school teacher had duly mentioned them as the follower of Satt Ahimsa Gandhi Baba religion. There may not be too many followers of the religion of this kind, before it insists to qualify officially, as a distinct religion in the Gazette of the government: a mixture of the fine elements of Hinduism, Islam, Christianity and many others. But before Oraon can pack-up and proceed they had put their thumb impression so that none could temper with their belief.
True to his name, Budhiman Tana Bhagat talked intelligently about the fast shrinking number of Tana Bhagat in Jharkhand and their problem. What Budhiman told reflected that he had some schooling as he appeared well equipped with the problem of Tanas. “We are tribal…but we follow Gandhiji as religion. There are few pockets in Lohardaga and Gumla where Tanas are now live,” he rued. Bisunpur, Ghaghra, Chnadrkop, Bamandih, Gazani, Kuru and few other he listed. There is no official record available to ascertain their number.
The British government had confiscated 3000 acres of their land as punishment for their unquestioned support for Mahatma. “Our land has not been returned…we are still to be granted cultivation right. Please tell the government about our problem. A year back government had assured us but nothing happened,” Budhiman said. The previous government of Madhu Koda had even announced to return such lands to the Tanas that did not graduate beyond the promise.
They had a long list of complaint but that does not douse their undying passion for Mahatma and his philosophy.
It is census time: Different religious bodies have regrouped to swell their number. For Tanas it was prayer time of Mahatma with clang and cymbal. Let the children of one God demand right of way and privilege over children of another God and let them ram into communal retribution. Tanas are not that.
Keshav Rao removed from CWC, loses charge of Jharkhand, WB
March 05, Saturday
VIJAY DEO JHA | Ranchi
K Keshav Rao — a story of two triumphs and many failures in Jharkhand, was removed from the good books of Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Rao received a double thwack from Gandhi on Friday. He was not only removed from the post of AICC in-charge of Jharkhand, West Bengal and Andaman and Nicobar, but also from the central Congress working committee.
The Congress has brought its Bihar leader, former union minister and party's national spokesperson Shakil Ahmed to look after the affairs of these three states. The Assembly election of West Bengal is in the offing.
Congress sources speaking to The Pioneer attributed three reasons behind Rao's removal. First: His poor performance in handling faction-ridden Jharkhand Congress and poor performance of the party in the Parliamentary and Assembly elections. Second: His open advocacy for a separate Telangana State that often landed the Congress on a sticky wicket.
But as far as the third reason is concerned - his removal from West Bengal - is open criticism of Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee.
"She was not comfortable with the stand taken by Rao over creation of small states. She had lodged her concern with the party high command that Rao could be easily manoeuvered to support the cause of a separate Gorkhaland in West Bengal," a senior Congress leader said.
But the vital reason behind his removal remained the displeasure of Sonia Gandhi.
Rao was sent to Jharkhand to replace Ajay Maken who was not willing to continue as
Jharkhand Congress in-charge.
Rao at least has two achievements in Jharkhand to count as creditable. He manoeuvered JMM support for Congress' nominee in Rajya Sabha election 2009. Jharkhand was brought under President's rule and the JMM was desperate for Congress' support to form government. Smart politico Rao was quick to encash JMM's desperation and made JMM believe that the government formation exercise could be started only after the JMM supported Congress to win the RS seat. Naïve, JMM happily accepted the deal that ended in a dud when Rao refused to back any such initiative.
He became JMM's enemy number one, officially, and unofficially he earned some foes in his party too, who were desperate like any other JMM leader to form coalition government in Jharkhand.
Stitching an alliance with the Jharkhand Vikash Morcha in view of Jharkhand Assembly election was one of his successful efforts. The alliance produced two binary gains for the party, though small in measure. The Congress effectively used the support base of the JVM to increase its tally from 9 to 14. Clever enough not to give a long rope to the alliance partner in that election, Rao summed up JVM's claim for seats much below the expectations of JVM chief Babulal Marandi.
But then, he could not avoid becoming the pillar of factionalism in the party during and after the election. He was often blamed for maintaining status-quo for state Congress chief Pradeep Balmuchu who has overstayed the fixed tenure.
If he lured some to join the Congress he lost some faithful counts too like KK Agrawal, Alok Pathak, Bhukla Bhagat who openly blamed him and left the party.
Ahmed's appointment has been welcomed by the party. "He is an experienced leader and he is sure to inject fresh blood in the party," Congress leader Alok Dubey said.
After Rao's removal from the state scene, the camp lobbying for a fresh appointment of state Congress chief is feeling emboldened. Congress' fresh script this Friday was enough to cause grief to Rao.
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