UPA remains united; Hemant, Dhiraj win RS seats

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi June21, Front Page

The defeat of both the BJP candidates in the Rajya Sabha by-elections, Ajay Maru and Anup Agrawal, against JMM and Congress nominees Hemant Soren and Dhiraj Prasad Sahu respectively, had no element of surprise.

But the startling fact is that the Congress candidate Sahu got 44 votes against the BJP candidate Anup Agrawal whose hope to join the upper house staggered with 26 votes. Sahu got the support of the all independent MLAs besides one vote of the JD(U) legislator Radhakrishna Kishore.

Kishore, nevertheless, voted for Maru when it came to voting for the second seat.Nevertheless, this whooping margin declined in the case of Hemant Soren who got 38 votes against the BJP candidate Maru who managed 30 votes.

In a house with strength of 81 which is now reduced to 73, a total of 71 MLAs participated in the voting. The CPIML legislator from Bagodar Vinod Kumar Singh and Forward Block MLA Aparnasen Gupta abstained from voting.

Election for the two Rajya Sabha seats from Jharkhand were held on Saturday after Yaswant Sinha of the BJP and Digvijay Singh of the JD(U) won the parliamentary elections from Hazaribagh and Banka (Bihar).

In the counting of votes for the second seat two votes of the RJD MLAs- Uday Shankar Singh of Sarath and Ramchandra Singh of Manika - were rejected after they declined to follow the party instruction to cast vote by showing it to their election agent. Unfortunately both the votes of the JD(U) legislator Khiru Mahto were termed invalid which came as a loss for the BJP.

The result of both the seats brought an interesting yet baffling political alchemy of the State politics. Sahu had an extended support base among the AJSU camp besides the JD(U) where Kishore openly accepted that he voted for the Congress instead the BJP.

Kishore had a well prepared political answer to justify his decision and invariably blamed the BJP for a change in his stance.Two MLAs of Jharkhand party — Ainosh Ekka and Raja Peter — also became agents of the victory of Sahu besides other independent MLAs.

But the poll pattern and the mood of the legislators changed when it came to choose between Hemant Soren and Maru. AJSU chief Sudesh Kumar Mahto and party MLA Chandraprakash Chaudhary voted for Maru. Hemant never was a choice for Ekka and Peter. Suspended BJP MLA Manohar Tekriwal voted for Hemant Soren but he also kept the BJP bosses in good humour by casting his vote for another BJP candidate Anup Agrawal in the voting for the first seat.

But if there is anything newsworthy in the voting it is the crumbling index of the NDA unity. It had started with ominous creaking noise of Kishore well before the elections. In a precarious number game that was never in favour of BJP from the very beginning the JD(U) could never be an instrument of BJP's victory or defeat as such.

But the way Kishore cast his luck with the Congress it only rattled the State BJP. Kishore must be happy with discomfiture of the BJP candidates. He seems to have compensated for the loss that he suffered in the general election in Palamu due to BJP's lack of cooperation.

State JD(U) president Jaleswar Mahto said: "I will write to the central high command of the party in this regard and will ask them to take appropriate decision in this regard."Just two days before the elections Kishore suddenly became nostalgic to his good old days in the Congress. He met senior Congress leaders and never ruled out the possibility of his homecoming.

The elections will have a far reaching political impact in the coming days' politics of Jharkhand as the election result has tripped a radical political realignment. After the election result State Congress co in-charge Abdul Mannan announced that the NDA's dream to win Jharkhand was 'doomed'.

"This is a first step, and, in the coming days, the UPA will emerge as a solid rock." He, nevertheless, remained conspicuously silent over the immediate political course of the UPA: the formation of the UPA Government in Jharkhand.

"We will explore the possibility to form the Government in Jharkhand," Mannan said. For the JMM insiders the election results are the reference point, the next political drama is yet to start.

State BJP treads cautiously over Yaswant’s letter

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi June 15 Front Page

Some of splinters of the letter bomb that former BJP national vice-president Yaswant Sinha dropped on party's national president Rajnath Singh have reached Jharkhand.

Although, Sinha's letter has ensued regrouping in the State BJP, State BJP leaders might take some time to cross their loyalty both off and on the record.

State BJP leaders reacted cautiously over this thud. However, the content of the letter, opening with Dear Rajnathji, and going shriller further, is the most sought after among party leaders to get some insight of the mind of Sinha and his political plan in the coming days.

It took no time for the State BJP house to buzz with several theories after Sinha relinquished party posts. If a senior BJP leader --- nowadays in hibernation --- is to be believed, his letter could be an indicator of his warning to quit party.

Quite unaffected from such media babble and political prediction, Sinha was basking in the glory of public felicitation in his Hazaribagh constituency on Sunday. Apart from general public the meeting had a huge gathering of the local BJP leaders and workers.

What Sinha spoke on this occasion had no political overture, but he gave the sense of an engaged politician well connected to the public. In his letter, Sinha has admitted himself not belonging to that category of those great leaders who can contest and win elections from anywhere in the country.

"I have been rooted in one constituency, Hazaribagh, ever since I entered politics," Sinha wrote. Some of the State BJP leaders find no merit in what Sinha claims to be and say that his resignation will little affect the prospect of the State BJP. "The State BJP has one obvious loss in his resignation because he was the single leader from Jharkhand who held such an important post in the Central BJP. Even in Jharkhand, he does not have that political clout to affect the BJP in the coming Assembly elections," a BJP worker said.

Hazaribagh is, however, an exception.

Today Arjun Munda camp must be a delighted lot over the open revolt of Sinha. Munda did not speak too much over his resignation. "Sinha's revolt could affect the party's prospects in the next Assembly elections in Jharkhand. I tried my best to talk to him over this matter, but I have not been able to do so," he added.

There are still several months left for the Assembly election and the BJP bosses must have some fair idea to arrest any electoral loss that Sinha and his letter could purportedly do. Munda got instant dividend. Sinha, as the contender for the Chief Minister post, has been a fallen angel and the content of his letter will flutter in the stomach of the top BJP leaders.

Nevertheless, some of the party leaders feel that Sinha has taken a calculated risk in taking side of BJP patriarch and party's prime ministerial candidate Lal Krishna Advani whose leadership has been under fire after the defeat of the party. "If Sinha has proved himself an all weather friend of Advani, in the coming days, he might get Advani's backing to emerge as the chief ministerial candidate of the party in Jharkhand," said a close aide of Sinha.

Even the BJP veterans like Saryu Rai were surprised to find Sinha speaking against the BJP national president despite having a good relation. It was Rajnath Singh who during the election rally in Ramgarh had declared Sinha as the next finance minister of the NDA if the combine was voted to the power at the Centre.

Promise had no value after the BJP was left to collect the pieces of its crumbled citadels, except in Jharkhand, Karnataka and Chhattisgarh. He expected the party leadership will honour him for the victory in Jharkhand; his home State and Karnataka which was under his charge.

Uncivil war in BJP

Piqued Yaswant quits party posts, sends four page missive

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi June 14 Subday

The BJP ‘national vice president’ Yaswant Sinha sent a four pages missive to the party’s national president Rajnath Singh and added one more dimension in the crisis that the party has been struggling after its nationwide defeat.

Quitting all party posts including national vice president; Sinha asked the central office bearers of the party must quit their posts as the part of moral responsibility of the colossal damage of the party in the general elections.

Quoting a portion of his letter Sinha said that it was seemingly difficult to avoid impression that in the BJP "we put a premium on failure". It was time when the party should be reconstituted.

Sinha also announced his decision to resign as the in-charge of Karnataka affairs and as head of the Foreign Affairs Cell of the party. He seemingly did it in response to senior leader Jaswant Singh's suggestion at a core committee meeting that there should be collective responsibility for failure.

The truth may lie somewhere in between. The well-placed sources in the state BJP said that the phrases like ‘collective responsibility and moral responsibility’ were not the only core reasons that prompted him to take such unusual steps. “Perhaps he was hopeful of getting a key job in the newly constituted BJP parliamentary board, the post of deputy leader to opposition in LS could one of them...but he was pushed to the edge,” a senior state BJP leader twisted a theory adding that it was the part of ongoing bickering between the camps led by Lal Krishna Advani and Rajnath Singh.

Snowballing to the internal strife of the BJP politics in New Delhi Sinha moved to his home constituency, Hazaribagh; to seek blessing of Goddess Durga for his troubled party. Speaking to the media persons at Ramgarh on Saturday Sinha declined to react over his resignation and reasons that compelled him to do so.

“I will not speak anything about my resignation. It is an internal matter of the party…you can ask and talk about anything other than my resignation. I am here to seek blessing of Goddess Durga for my party, my state and me as well,” Sinha tried to put a lid over the controversy.
What Sinha mumbled before the almighty remained in the confines of the sanctorum? But that could be read between the lines of those carefully crafted sentences of the letter: the BJP the party with difference has lost somewhere.

"Our reluctance to introspect and introspect comprehensively and openly is unacceptable to a large number of people within the party. So is the rat race for posts. If we are a party with a difference, let us set an example in abnegation."

The BJP often prided its cohesion of view and machinery. This time, both were victims of various degrees of chaos and counter voice.

His resignation is tempted with a suggestion. Rajnath Singh and other office bearers must resign from their post for the collateral damage of the party and Rajnath can not feign his incompetence.
Sinha raised the banner of revolt just before Rajnath Singh addressed a press conference to show a united face of the BJP. During the press conference observers did not miss an equally latent warning of disciplinary actions against those who go to the media to air their differences within the party.

Speaking over telephone from New Delhi a senior BJP MP who is close to Rajnath Singh termed the resignation as a pressure tactics to put Rajnath Singh in the tight spot.

“Leaders like Sinha who enjoys fruits of politics without really doing any ground work often resorts to such tactics. His resignation will be no help the party but he succeeded to show the BJP is really a troubled house,” the leader said it quite angrily.

Advani’s final push for prime ministership was queered by ideological and organisational dishevelment in the RSS ranks which intensified rather than ebbed even after the BJP lost the game.

While the BJP will have to spend coming years to collect the pieces of its crumbled citadels the war of words of the two camps still goes on at RSS headquarter.

Couple of days backs the RSS chief Mohan Mohan Bhagwat held two separate meetings with these two leaders and asked them to submit a detailed report of the failure of the party. Both the group shifted blame to each other for this colossal failure.

Having led the BJP to its lowest perch in the memory of the party the BJP bosses now have enough time and space to ponder for lowly as it is, this perch is also a lonely place.
“I do not know about others but I am doing what a true party worker should do in such a situation,” Sinha said.

Shibu resigns from Jamtara: chances of government formation in Jharkhand appears bleak

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi Sunday May 31

The JMM chief Shibu Soren aka Disom guru is not troubled with ‘to be or not be’ mindset anymore about the prospect of the formation JMM government in Jharkhand headed by him.
On Saturday, he preferred not to venture further in the uncertain zone—between government and no government—after he tendered his resignation as MLA from Jamtara. If there was a faint hope of the JMM led government; his resignation made the prospect bleak.

Soren who has been in Bokaro submitted his resignation through his emissary Suprio Bhattacharya; this afternoon; to the office of state assembly Speaker. Soren had won parliamentary election from Dumka and assembly by-election from Jamtara.

Soren played safe by opting central politics rather than taking burden of cobbling majority in a house of suspended animation; and precarious number game; which left with barely nine months to complete its term. But the local JMM leaders have not left claim so far.

If proof were required, Suprio offered it this afternoon. “Guruji is not wiling to head the government in Jharkhand, okay, but the JMM will insist and work for the formation of a government that will be headed by a JMM man only,” he claimed.

There was none in the Congress to smile or to frown to this ascertain. But a mild rebuff to this claim came from the side of senior JMM leader and former MP Hemlal Murmu. “Ye sab bekar ki batein hai; Sarkar banane me koi dilchaspi nahi le raha hai, Congress bhi nahi (It is non-sense, nobody is taking interest in forming government; even Congress too.)

Hemlal blamed: “None of the central Congress leaders invited Soren for a just and honourable talk to form government.” And he feels pain for smaller parties like the JMM which are often treated by the bigger parties, read Congress, as an ant on their sleeve. So far there is no indication of the induction of Soren in the union cabinet, a fact that annoyed the JMM.

For Hemlal chapter is close and for Suprio the central working committee of the party will meet within few days to draw further strategy in this regard.

The Congress on the other hand is playing its card smartly. Only some few days back the state Congress leaders suddenly became active in government formation exercise.

The assembly speaker Alamgir Alam along with JMM leader Sudhir Mahto moved to News Delhi where they met senior Congress leader Pranav Mukharjee on Friday.

On his part the state Congress president Pradeep Balmuchu issued statement about the possibility of government formation. But the Congress insiders said that such claims and hope were not able to graduate beyond the media column and customary political statements.

“If Alam has shown his interest as such the Congress will surely calculate the loss and benefit before supporting government formation,” a close aide of Balmuchu said. The loss it suffered in the general election as the leaders themselves admitted to decision to support bad government, twice, in the state routed the party.

At the same time the Congress would never mind to form government provided the JMM accepts its claim over the post of the Chief Minister and extend its support. The JMM simply abhors this idea.

Nevertheless, Alam who could be nourishing ambition to be Chief Minister is stated to have extended a different logic. “If Congress suffered it could be recouped in the coming days by forming government and control governance directly to start some populist measures to strengthen its base before assembly election,” a close aide of Alam said.

But majority of Congress and JMM MLAs are quite anxious to restore the assembly. Barely left with nine months to face the voters they really want to execute some developmental works in their constituencies with the help of MLA fund. Will their party alakaman listen to them?

After elections JVM stands where it was

Vijay Deo Jha Monday 18 June

Electorates maintained status quo ante for Babulal Marandi and his party Jharkhand Vikash Morcha (JVM) in Jharkhand.

For politicians like Marandi whose essence surely lies in his mouth; often spoke tom about his party emerging as a political alternative in Jharkhand, voters messed his dream.

Marandi, who was hopeful of his party would grab at least three seats—Godda and Palamu besides his own seat Koderma—was dismay to see the results.

Three things emerged quite prominently out of this election. The JVM is yet to complete its kindergarten years in the state politics, and, Marandi for the time being should redraw his strategy to finish the BJP in Jharkhand finally. The JVM never proved instrumental behind the defeat of the BJP nor it could sink its teeth so deeply in the BJP vote bank.

The election of the state assembly is scheduled to be held next year and Marandi said: “We have tested our strength successfully in this election and the JVM will emerge as the key to the power.”
Nevertheless, Marandi managed to retain his seat by a margin of 48520 votes but he suffered the biggest recession in his popularity comparing to his last victory in Koderma by a margin of more than one lakh votes. In rest 13 Lok Sabha constituencies his chosen lieutenants—Pradeep Yadav from Godda, Saba Ahmed from Giridih, Prabhat Kumar from Palamu, Akthar Ansari from Ranchi, Arvind Singh from Jamshedpur—became the casualty of the NDA onslaught.

Nowhere in Jharkhand could the JVM offer a tough challenge to either BJP or the UPA combine. Six of party candidates slipped to third position including Yadav, Ahmed and Prabhat Kumar whom Marandi fielded—believing them as a sure bet.

The pet anthem of the JVM; Jharkhand ka ek hi lal Babulal Babulal; was quite missing in the victory procession of Marandi in Koderma. Even JVM insiders said that the defeat of Yadav came as a rude shock for Marandi.

Yadav had virtually made Godda a tense battlefield for the BJP candidate Nishikant Dubey with reported cases of alleged physical clashes. Nevertheless, he bagged 176926 votes but he could not stop Dubey to win the election. Sahai slipped to third position and the great dream of the JVM to be the master of the Santhal Pargana politics was dashed to the ground.

Yadav who once loudly made his intention known to reduce and wipe out the BJP in Santhal Pargana is now looking for mundane accuses behind his defeat. The scene of disappointment came with multiple worries for Marandi as the BJP after a decade opened its account in two of the constituencies in Santhal Pargana region; Rajmahal and Godda. Devidhan Besra defeated JMM candidate from Rajmahal. The JVM candidate Som Marandi remained nondescript.

But then this election played the role of a great leveler as it brought other parties like the Congress, the JMM and the RJD at par with the JVM.

Confident party to perform poorly in election Balmuchu bashers reassembles for his ouster

Ranchi May 6, 2009

The anti Pradeep Balmuchu camp is reassembling together for his ouster as the president of Jharkhand Congress provided the party faces route in the election. But so far this camp has been anxiously waiting for the result that will be declared on May 16 but they are confident the party will end up miserably in the election.

For Balmuchu there is no immediate threat to his seat. Sources close to him confided that a month before the election could take place Balmuchu in his report sent to the AICC had already told the party was not able to win more than two seats. The report was tagged with suggestion to change some of the candidates and the warning that the sitting Congress MPs might face anti-incumbency waves in their constituencies.

“In most of the cases the Congress MPs failed to deliver and there is the need to replace them with new faces,” another senior leader of the party close to Balmuchu quoted few lines of that report. Even though, Balmuchu camp cited it as the reason behind the denial of ticket to the sitting party MP from Khunti; Sushila Kerketta, but move was obvious—to reduce the number of his opponents in the party. He got success and managed ticket for his most trusted friend and party MLA Niel Tirkey for Khunti. But he failed in Dhanbad where his subtle diplomacy could not work against another sitting Congress MP Chandrasekhar Dubey aka Dadai Dubey.

His hope was dampened after the first phase of poll in Khunti where the polling pattern showed the BJP candidate Karia Munda seemingly took an obvious lead over Niel. Result is yet to be declared but Balmuchu camp sees little hope to win here. Move to Dhanbad where Dubey gradually consolidated his position against the strong BJP candidate P.N. Singh in the election. After the election was over even the known bete-noir of Dubey did not deny that Dubey had all probability to win. If the Congress looses election in Dhanbad this will be music to the ear of Balmuchu camp.

“The Congress will not be able to repeat success story of 2004 this time, and for this there is the single responsible factor named Balmuchu,” said a senior Congress leader who claimed their move against him will come to a logical conclusion, read Balmuchu’s exit, this time.

Nevertheless, the same group failed to get audience of the AICC Chief Sonia Gandhi and other prominent central leaders of the party a few months before the general election. But they opted other means—an open ruckus—in front of state Congress in-charge K. Keshav Rao and AICC general secretary Mukul Vasnik during the extended working committee meeting of the party in the month of March.

Consequently two media in-charge of the party Alok Kumar Dubey and Pradeep Tulasyan were removed by Balmuchu. But his opponents got their purpose solved. Balmuchu bashers made it a point that the party would not be able to perform under his leadership. The group includes scores of party MLAs and MPs who fear the denial of ticket to them and their close associates in the forth coming assembly election scheduled to be held the next year.

Elections result is expected to throw new combinations in the party. “Nobody knows which way the election result will hit the party, surely the result will have an impact on the party,” the party spokesperson Ravindra Singh told. It was more succinctly told by another leader: “Jo Jeetega wo jeet ka credit khud lega aur harne wala party president aur party ko kosega.” He was speaking in the background of open rebuff Balmuchu received at the hand of veteran Congress leader and MP Bagun Sumbrai who during campaign openly told the later was trying to script his defeat in Chaibasa.

“None of the appointments of the district presidents or any recommendations were made without getting green signals of party MPs and MLAs…unke marzi ke bagair koi patta bhi nahi hila,” he deplored the situation.

But Balmuchu has enough powerful backing in the AICC that he will use to sting his opponents to lament again.

JMM mounts pressure on Cong to help form Govt

Raiv/Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi Monday, April 27, 2009

The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has quietly started mounting pressure on the Congress to install the JMM-led Government in the State after May 16 even after knowing well that ground reality in Jharkhand is not supportive at all.

With two vacant seats —Simaria and Poraiyahaat — and a dozen of MLAs contesting general elections in Jharkhand, the election result might affect the total strength of the Assembly. The JMM banked on the Congress to fulfill its promise which it had made to keep the formwer in the Congress-led UPA fold to contest general elections in Jharkhand.

But JMM leadership believes that the result of the general elections will be a blessing in disguise for the party. "Just after the results of the elections are declared in the country, we will pressurise the Congress to install the JMM Government if the UPA Government comes back in power at the Centre. We hope that the Congress will fulfill its promise," said chief whip of the party Mathura Mahto.

However, he was unable to state how the party will garner the magic number. JMM chief Shibu Soren, who contested Jamtara by-election, has just one thing to say that it was the part of the deal. Even the Congress has been in dilemma as the JMM has started sending notes to the Congress camp.

Any prospective Government is impossible to be formed without the support of independents and the RJD. The RJD, which moved out of the UPA fold to contest general elections, is in no mood to support any JMM-led Government. In the House of 82, the RJD has seven MLAs and the previous Government led by Madhu Koda and Soren largely banked upon the RJD to run the Government.

Besides, there are 11 independent MLAs who are crucial to form the Government"Please note we are not going to support any Government led by the JMM or the Congress. We want fresh elections in Jharkhand which is the only solution to end political uncertainty in the State," said a senior RJD leader dashing the hope of the JMM. Stating confidently, a senior JMM leader said that at least two or three MLAs of different parties, including BJP's Arjun Munda, Karia Munda and one independent Madhu Koda, are sure to win the election.

"This number could grow and in a House where the number would probably reduce around 75, it will be easier for us to garner requisite numbers," a senior party functionary sounded this logic. However, Congress sees little chance of the formation of the Government. "Nothing can be said about the next Government. It depends upon whether the UPA comes to power at the Centre and perform well in the election," said a Congress source.

After Guruji, JMM goes to poll without manifesto

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi Sunday, April 19, 2009

This is going to be a too much too late story.

In this general election the JMM has not made any promises at all nor did it take credits of the works done by the party in the past. It is because the party is contesting elections in Jharkhand and elsewhere without any manifesto.

Yes, it has released a one page ‘Sankalp Patra’ for Dumka and Jamtatra where the party chief Shibu Soren has been contesting parliamentary and Assembly poll.

The top leaders accepted this fact candidly; stated reasons behind it without involving any circumlocution. "Yes, we have no manifesto this time. However, manifesto is in completed form and has probably come out of the printing press. But we could not release it as our leader Guruji is ill," the senior party leader and office in-charge of the party Shailendra Bhattacharya accepted this.

This is for the first time when the JMM is contesting elections without any manifesto. Even in the past, in mid 80s the JMM chief used to issue handwritten copy of the manifesto when printing and such other things, read financial resources, were scarily available.

The first phase of the elections is over and the elections for the second phase will be held on April 23 and delay reasonably demands answer whether the JMM will release manifesto after the elections are over finally. Bhattacharya on this explained that a couple of days are left for the second phase of the election. "See something will happen within two days," he seemed to have absolved himself from this lapse which, however, does make impact on the mind of the majority of voters who do not read manifesto before they cast their ballot.

"Who reads manifesto and who cast vote after reading this…releasing manifesto is a political ritual. We are more practical than the BJP and Congress. Our core constituency-the tribal and depressed; recognize us by the work done by Guruji" a senior party leader said.

Not only manifesto but also the campaign of the JMM has suffered in the absence of Soren who is not available for campaign due to his illness. Even these thing depends upon him (Soren)" said another party leader "right from campaigning to the supply of the election materials. You can see that the party flags are conspicuously absent across the constituencies and even in Dumka where he is contesting."

It created a political vacuum in the JMM after Soren was hospitalized. And there is no second rung leadership to take rein of the party in his absence. Come, the election of Jharkhand state assembly: JMM promise to release manifesto.

Durga set to take revenge from Cong for Tamar fiasco

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi Front Page

The last date to withdraw nomination papers has lapsed and Durga Soren is still in the fray.

The estranged UPA partners in Jharkhand — the Congress and the JMM — have charted different courses though without making any announcement of their formal divorce. Durga Soren is yet another episode in the love-hate chemistry of the shaky UPA coalition.

The eldest son of JMM supremo Shibu Soren refused to withdraw his nomination from Godda as the official candidate of the party stating that he was determined to avenge on the Congress the defeat of his father in the Tamar Assembly bypoll.

The decision has left the state Congress shocked. "We want the JMM chief to give his final word over this issue immediately. The JMM is left with two options: either to disown Durga as the JMM candidate or to reconsider its relation with the Congress," the State Congress incharge K Keshav Rao said. The Congress is ready to grill the JMM and Shibu Soren over several points that went into the making of Durga as the official candidate of the party despite a letter written by the former to the chief electoral officer on last Saturday stating Durga was not among the party candidates who were given party symbols to fight the elections.

Hazaribagh and Koderma, where both the combines agreed for a friendly fight, are altogether a different case from Godda which is a battle of hatred. JMM chief Shibu Soren has been constantly reminding that the party had a poll pact with the Congress but that failed to impress Durga.His decision must have left Congress nominee from Godda Furkan Ansari fuming as to what role he played in the defeat of Shibu, when the former was not in the picture at all in the from Tamar bypoll.

But one of the close aides of Durga said that it was Furkan, who virtually blocked the road of Shibu at a time when he was quite unwilling to contest from Tamar. Soren had made his choice for Jamtara that could have been a safe bet for him, but that could not happen due to strong opposition from Furkan. On Wednesday; the last day of the withdrawal of the nomination; the wary Congress leader in Godda and in the State capital anxiously waited for Durga to withdraw his nomination.

But he better thought to execute his oath to route the Congress in Godda probably unaware of the gloomy poll prospect of his own party in the poll. "Godda is no Jharkhand and there are other constituencies where the JMM needs the support of the Congress to win," Furkan fired an angry riposte over the whole fuss. If not directly then indirectly, Furkan told that Jamtara Assembly constituency falls within Godda where Guruji has filed his nomination paper to reoccupy the post of Jharkhand's Chief Minister that he lost after facing electoral discomfiture in Tamar.

In the past one month, the seat-sharing exercise of the UPA took several curious turns but Durga puzzled the Congress most. Only on Tuesday, the JMM and the Congress jointly stated confirming Durga has fallen in line and he would withdraw from the fray. The agitated Furkan curtly described it the conspiracy of 'father and son' who speak and act differently on the face but share same thought.

"If Durga is their candidate," as Shibu said, "then he (Shibu) must explain how Durga managed the party symbol. Shibu should lodge a criminal case against his errant son for obtaining signed nomination documents," Furkan contended. The returning officer of Godda has already rejected the contention of the Congress where it claimed that Durga filed nomination without the consent of his party. Confirmation letter to his candidature was soon dispatched to the office of the returning officer before the hearing.

No take off for Teklal in Giridih, fuel seems to be exhausting
Vijay Deo Jha
Ranchi / Giridih

Giridih is one of the seats in Jharkhand where the BJP is sure about the victory of its candidate Ravindra Kumar Pandey. Courtesy, the anti-incumbency factor against the JMM candidate of the UPA combine Teklal Mahto who wrested this traditional seat of the BJP by defeating Pandey in the last general election 2004.
The constituency will go for poll on coming Thursday where contest is mainly triangular among Pandey, Mahto and Dr. Saba Ahmed of the JVM of Babulal Marandi. There are 1346320 voters.

Teklal has a tough time to explain the constituents for neglecting this starved constituency where problems are legions. From the past one month, Teklal who mainly concentrated in the rural belt has been trying to reason with the voters and hopes people will favour him. “I am aware of their problems and in the last five years I started several developmental projects to benefit the people,” Mahto told ‘The Pioneer.’

“From the last one month he has been shuttling in Giridih to seek support of the voters. As far as the development of this constituency is concerned just move around the area and you will know it,” Jyoti Mehta, a resident of Giridih town said. This sentiment is travelling across other assembly constituencies of Giridih where road exists nowhere and power remains off.

But so far he could not stop the BJP from taking edge over him where the three times MP Pandey has strengthen his hold over the voters.

Besides anti-incumbency factor what probably helps the BJP in the fight is the fractured UPA index. In the last general election Pandey was pitted against a formidable UPA coalition adding to it was the fact that the BJP was not able to turn its core urban middle class voters to the booth to counter it.

The biggest burden of Mahto is to retain Kurmi-Mahto vote back in his favour. But he will hardly be able to get their vote en block this time. Besides Mahto there are three other contenders of kurmi-Mahto vote—the BJP and the independent Indradev Mahto who has the backing of Lalchand Mahto of the Bahujan Sadan Morcha. Lalchand has a strong hold over this section of the voter particularly in Dumri and Bagodar assembly constituencies. In the last election Indradev had came third.

Problem does not end for Teklal here. The RJD has fielded Humayun Ansari, backward Muslim candidate whereas the JVM of Babulal Marandi has pressed Saba Ahamad in the electoral battle to garner the Muslim votes which otherwise went to Teklal in the last election. Although, Muslim voters here are politically aware and they decide their move a day before the election depending upon who can defeat the BJP. There are 265000 Muslim voters who had helped the JMM in giving a stunning defeat to the BJP by a margin of 149794 votes.

Each RJD and JVM stroke is music to the BJP which is confident the division of Muslim votes will help its candidate. The BJP already controls Gomia and Bermo assembly constituencies represented by its MLA Chatruram Mahto and Yogeswar Mahto in the state assembly.

To fight this oddity Teklal counts upon the traditional tribal vote bank of the party. But in this fight Teklal is alone. The JMM chief Shibu Soren is not able to campaign in his support. Aklu Ram Mahto of the CPI has also set an eye over the tribal vote of the JMM whereas a section of the party workers close to Durga Soren, son of Shibu who are determined to teach Teklal a lesson.

Teklal and his likes might have only election problem to face; voters have some more to face on the election day. One out of many of their problems is the naxal problem. Naxals have given the call to boycott the election. Barring Baghmara assembly constituency the remaining five—Dumri, Gomia, Bermo Giridih and Tundi are known as red terror zone. No party and candidate even dared to venture in Nawadih block of Bermo where no party flags flutter; no political talk even in whisper. Only red flags and liberation theology are allowed.

Shibu ill, sons spar at will

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi ELECTION Tuesday, April 7, 2009 National Page

There’s much rumbling within the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM). To be precise, within its chief Shibu Soren aka Guruji’s family!

As an ailing Shibu convalesces in the hospital, a war of succession is on between his sons, Durga and Hemant, to fill up the void and take control of the party, which is without a defined second line of leadership. Just days away from the first phase of election in the State, it has not only cast a shadow on the fate of the party but also its ally, the Congress.

Shibu thus has two formidable challenges on hand: To repeat the JMM’s success story of 2004 in this general election (keeping its alliance with the Congress intact) without his active involvement and decide his heir apparent without creating much dissent.

The war of succession, JMM insiders said, intensified after Shibu’s defeat in the Tamar Assembly byelection on January 8 this year. It has now reached a crescendo. “Elder brother Durga, however, seems to be losing out to Hemant. The younger brother has not only been involved in party affairs but also has the backing of party’s two senior-most MPs, Hemlal Murmu and Teklal Mahto, besides Shibu. But the JMM cadre are confused without Shibu, who is undoubtedly the only crowd puller for his party,” they said.

Both Durga and Hemant have had their share of defeats in the last Assembly elections but the former has already queered the pitch for the Congress, with which the JMM has an alliance in the State. First, he threatened to put up candidates on all the 14 seats and then went on to file his nomination from Godda (where the Congress has fielded its sitting MP Furkan Ansari), ignoring the pleas of everyone, including Shibu.

To him, the JMM’s UPA allies had conspired against his father to ensure his defeat in the Tamar byelection. He now wants to avenge it.

Shibu, however, was quick to issue a denial: “Durga is not the JMM candidate. The party has no plans to field him from Godda, nor has he been given the party symbol.”

Durga is also sore with the Congress and holds it responsible for “using” Shibu. He wanted his father to be re-installed as the Chief Minister before the poll. The Congress reacted by ignoring him. Its State in-charge K Keshav Rao then involved Hemant in the seat-sharing talks. While the Congress, with six sitting MPs, is contesting seven seats, the JMM -- with four sitting MPs -- is contesting five seats. The RJD has tied up with the LJP in the State.

The Congress announced that a JMM-led Government would be installed in Jharkhand soon after the UPA returns to power at the Centre. Durga felt Shibu was fooled yet again.

On many occasions, Durga had spoken against his own partymen in general and Hemant in particular. “Hemant to bachcha hai, usko party ke hi kuch senior log misguide kar rahe hain (Hemant is still a kid. Some party leaders are misguiding him),” he says. His associates point to Hemlal Murmu and Teklal Mahto, the duo that had grabbed the centrestage after compelling the Congress to install the JMM-led Government in Jharkhand in lieu of its support to the UPA during the trust vote last year.

Adding a new dimension to the war between the siblings are leaders like former Deputy Chief Minister and Kurmi leader Sudhir Mahto, who too nurses the ambition of heading the party. An ever-widening Kurmi-Adivasi divide in the party is also a cause for concern. The killing of a number of Kurmi leaders, including former JMM MP Sunil Mahto, has only widened the divide.

http://www.dailypioneer.com/167760/Shibu-ill-sons-spar-at-will.html

Durga set to take revenge from Cong for Tamar fiasco

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi RANCHI Thursday, April 9, 2009 Front Page

The last date to withdraw nomination papers has lapsed and Durga Soren is still in the fray. The estranged UPA partners in Jharkhand — the Congress and the JMM — have charted different courses though without making any announcement of their formal divorce.

Durga Soren is yet another episode in the love-hate chemistry of the shaky UPA coalition. The eldest son of JMM supremo Shibu Soren refused to withdraw his nomination from Godda as the official candidate of the party stating that he was determined to avenge on the Congress the defeat of his father in the Tamar Assembly bypoll.

The decision has left the state Congress shocked. "We want the JMM chief to give his final word over this issue immediately. The JMM is left with two options: either to disown Durga as the JMM candidate or to reconsider its relation with the Congress," the State Congress incharge K Keshav Rao said.

The Congress is ready to grill the JMM and Shibu Soren over several points that went into the making of Durga as the official candidate of the party despite a letter written by the former to the chief electoral officer on last Saturday stating Durga was not among the party candidates who were given party symbols to fight the elections.

Hazaribagh and Koderma, where both the combines agreed for a friendly fight, are altogether a different case from Godda which is a battle of hatred. JMM chief Shibu Soren has been constantly reminding that the party had a poll pact with the Congress but that failed to impress Durga.

His decision must have left Congress nominee from Godda Furkan Ansari fuming as to what role he played in the defeat of Shibu, when the former was not in the picture at all in Tamar bypoll. But one of the close aides of Durga said that it was Furkan, who virtually blocked the road of Shibu at a time when he was quite unwilling to contest from Tamar. Soren had made his choice for Jamtara that could have been a safe bet for him, but that could not happen due to strong opposition from Furkan.

On Wednesday; the last day of the withdrawal of the nomination; the wary Congress leader in Godda and in the State capital anxiously waited for Durga to withdraw his nomination. But he better thought to execute his oath to route the Congress in Godda probably unaware of the gloomy poll prospect of his own party in the poll.

"Godda is no Jharkhand and there are other constituencies where the JMM needs the support of the Congress to win," Furkan fired an angry riposte over the whole fuss. If not directly then indirectly, Furkan told that Jamtara Assembly constituency falls within Godda where Guruji has filed his nomination paper to reoccupy the post of Jharkhand's Chief Minister that he lost after facing electoral discomfiture in Tamar.

In the past one month, the seat-sharing exercise of the UPA took several curious turns but Durga puzzled the Congress most. Only on Tuesday, the JMM and the Congress jointly stated confirming Durga has fallen in line and he would withdraw from the fray. The agitated Furkan curtly described it the conspiracy of 'father and son' who speak and act differently on the face but share same thought.

"If Durga is their candidate," as Shibu said, "then he (Shibu) must explain how Durga managed the party symbol. Shibu should lodge a criminal case against his errant son for obtaining signed nomination documents," Furkan contended.

The returning officer of Godda has already rejected the contention of the Congress where it claimed that Durga filed nomination without the consent of his party. Confirmation letter to his candidature was soon dispatched to the office of the returning officer before the hearing.

Guruji is no Gandhiji: unhappy days again in the JMM

Vijay Deo Jha

Ranchi


The JMM chief Shibu Soren, aka Guruji is no Gandhiji.

For the British they could not prevail upon Mahatma Gandhi to accept the ‘post date cheque on a crashing bank’ of the Cripps Mission. And 67 years later, the Congress easily prevailed upon Guruji that a JMM led government would be ‘installed’ in Jharkhand soon after the UPA comes back to the power after the general elections 2009.

Nevertheless, similarity between that ‘Cripps deal’ and this Congress deal is remarkably tough but it is a ‘just’ reference point to proceed how Soren believed this promise which is still not taken very seriously by the Congress insiders.
Guruji will contest the by-election from Jamtara assembly constituency hoping to head the next JMM government. The JMM announced to join the Congress led UPA wagon in Jharkhand in the forth coming general elections.
But unhappy days are here again in the JMM. The JMM insiders are now whispering: after Tamar the Congress again fooled Guruji. “He has always been a gullible customer for the Congress…he lost the chance to pressurize the Congress to install the JMM led government for which he suffered humiliation and mud slinging” said a senior party leader.

“The deal has been done and that too on the paper that the JMM led government in Jharkhand will be installed after the UPA comes to power”, the chief whip of the party Mathura Mahto announced this week.

It brought relief for the Congress which was wary about the electoral pact with the JMM that it fear might sink if the Congress did make a solid promise to Soren in this regard.


The decision left such a bitter taste in the mouth of that yours truly—Mathura Mahto who was virtually forced to change his hard line against the Congress. But Mahto conceded the continuous change in stand; thrice in a day; can not help any party and politician to gain credibility.

Mahto neither talked about that deal whose fate largely depends upon the performance of the UPA in the election nor he spoke about Soren. Yet what he said is easy to comprehend.

Mahto was one among the JMM hardliners along with another party MLA Salkhan Soren who wanted the party to adopt a tough posture and even go to the elections on its own. The group had the support of Durga Soren, son of the JMM chief and party’s general secretary.

Is Guruji in the command of the things in the party after he lost by-election of Tamar? The party insiders told that Guruji was deliberately being overshadowed by two of his MPs Hemlal Murmu and Teklal Mahto over crucial decisions.
The Congress sources confided that the JMM MPs who did want a rupture in relation with the Congress at the time of election were more active to go for the deal.

“The Congress has just applied balm over the injured sentiment of the JMM to fight election together and there is nothing beyond that”, said a senior Congress leader and MLA.
“The formation of the JMM led government is very remote and how you can strike a deal of this kind without consulting the independent MLAs who actually hold the key”, the leader further said.

If not Hemant Soren, his elder Durga understands this. “Kaun sa deal aur kisa deal, ye deal kya baba (Guruji) ne kiya hai”, Durga reacted sharply against his own party leaders; read Hemlal Murmu and Teklal Mahto.

Terming it propaganda by his own party men to remove Guruji from the scene Durga said: “The Congress and some others are trying to sell this dream but even if the JMM forms the government we will have less time to show our work as the assembly elections of Jharkhand will be held the next year.”
Will Guruji hear Durga in the post Tamar fiasco?

EoM
==================

BJP cedes Chatra, Palamu to JD(U)

Rajiv/Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi March 21, 2009

In the LS seat-sharing exercise in Jharkhand; the bully JD(U) finally snatched two parliamentary seats - Palamu and Chatra - from the unwilling BJP.

Soon after the electronic media started flashing this "really breaking news", headquarters of the State BJP soon descended in the gloom and the visibly upset party workers were not ready to stomach this deal.

The BJP has now been left with only one seat - Koderma - out of remaining three. It has already declared names of 11 seats but before it could announce for the rest the JD(U) started clamouring for its share; not less than six.

"The party workers are sad over this decision," BJP organisational secretary Ganesh Mishra expressed the feelings of the party workers at a Press conference. Mishra also appealed the BJP bosses to reconsider the decision. "But such decisions are never taken to be reconsidered," a senior State BJP leader offered a reality bite.

The trouble is indeed brewing in the BJP over this decision as far as Chatra is concerned. BJP MLA from Chatra Satyanand Bhokta raised the banner of revolt. "You can not decide the fate of the party while sitting in New Delhi…the JD(U) has no base in Chatra, it is BJP's constituency and the vote that Inder Singh Namdhari got here in the last election was that of him," Bhokta told the media persons. He threatened to resign from the party, along with the party office-bearers of Chatra BJP, if the decision was not reviewed.

Top BJP leaders maintained silence. State BJP president Raghuwar Das conspicuously avoided media calling him over telephone. "He holds similar sentiment with the party workers," a close aide of Das informed.

"I am not aware of the development…once I reach Bhopal I will be able to make comment," the senior BJP leader and State election incharge Sushma Swaraj said over telephone from a remote village of Madhya Pradesh.

Only two days back the most vociferous JD(U) leaders suddenly got reticent over the deal; they got two instead six. "No comment before final outcome…let official announcement come first," said State JD(U) president Jaleswar Mahto. State JD(U)vice-president Aftab Jamil still chose to speak in a combative political lingo. "Ham gathbandhan dharma ka samman karte hai," Jamil told The Pioneer. But the later half of his statement indicated bad omen would stay in Jharkhand NDA. "But a good number of party leaders want the party to contest six seats…see what happens," Jamil said conspiratorially.

On the other hand another vice-president of the party Krishnanad Mishra maintained the tone of NDA unity and said that both the parties will fight elections under the NDA banner. He was so much praise for Mahto that he termed him as a valiant leader who snatched two seats from the jaw of the BJP.

However, Mahto is still feeling defeated since he could not persuade the BJP as well as his own party leaders to get Dhanbad for himself where he wished to contest. The exercise is not over for the JD(U). The party is in search of suitable candidates. The JD(U) sources said that the party would field MLA Radhakrishna Kishore from Palamu where as it could field Madhu Singh in Chatra. But the State stalwart - Namdhari who till a day back was the known nominee of the BJP for Chatra would chart out his move well within a day, sources close to him told.

The BJP insiders confided that the BJP workers from Chatra and Palamu during an election meeting with party state president this week expressed their willingness to fight election here alone with sufficient indication of stormy days ahead if the party indeed ceded these the constituencies to the JD(U ).

But what could State BJP leaders do over this, it was not their decision after all; they sat together to mourn the decision at the party office breaking their ranks.

Campaign for Tamar by- election ends with ring tones of discontent

Soren wary as voters are silent: Tough fight ahead

Vijay Deo Jha reports from Tamar

It was infinitely closer to the theatre of political war in Tamar. Campaigning with rallies, street shows which got louder over megaphone; for the by-election finally winded down on Saturday, with ring tones of discords and promises where candidates those claiming to be in the fray, spoke with competing clamor about their agenda for the development and pooh-poohed the claims of others in a ‘political parlance’ well accepted in the politics of Jharkhand.

But for most of the people and politicians; voters are still confused about their choice while some of them will tell you: “No voters are cunning and intelligent and they know whom to vote.” The answer is quite confusing enough to send warning signal across the election offices of the party.

But their silence could be due to some other reasons also—the sub-jonal committee of the People’s Liberation Front of India, a Maoist outfit has issued farman to the heads of village of Tamar to cast their vote the Chief Minister Shibu Soren who is contesting as the UPA candidate.

The BJP leader Arjun Munda in his press note has blamed Soren for terrorizing the voters and the opposition parties by seeking support of underground naxals to win the election.

The two dominant vote banks in Tamar: Mahto and Munda community which are fairly around 50 and 75 thousands in the electoral roll are still silent. AJSU has been targeting Mahto vote which could possibly see a division among the AJSU, the JD (U) and the JMM.

There is no apparent polarity of the voters in the favour of any particular candidate or the party—Soren, Raja Peter of Jharkhand Party, Vasundhara Munda of JD (U) or Vijay Singh Manki of AJSU.

But Peter is still in fray and Soren must be wary to the fact that his status as a Chief Minister and his ‘chant of development mantra’ might not prevail upon Peter’s carefully crafted image as a man having his roots in the soil.

But at this moment the electorates merely felt a sense of relief at the winding down of what has been a thriller sort of campaign where Soren is contesting as an avant-garde of development but sadly pitted against Peter who claimed would prove the Rajnarayan for Soren.

Campaign-end is usually a raucous and frantic hour and so was in Tamar that witnessed a final rush of candidates, the top national leaders and the party workers for a last time attempt to convince the voters with tag—‘I am the best’. Canvassing here ended not just as it had begun — in a whimper but with a bang. Campaign ended at different places in Tamar—the JD (U) candidate Vasundhara Munda preferred Bhuiyadih, the extreme eastern part of Tamar where the boundary of this constituency ends.

Here was a motley crowd not more than 200 in numbers waiting for Sarad Yadav, the national president of the JD (U) to start his speech. Yadav cursed Soren for fighting against a widow who lost her husband at the hand of Maoists. He claims his party always favoured tribals and downtrodden in its political scheme of things.

Yadav who still claims to be a socialist also advised naxals to join the main stream of politics rather to seek justice and power through bullet—a rejection of popular Maoist ideology. The engrossed throng hears him claiming how he persuaded Pushpa Kamal Dahal, alias Prachand, the Prime Minister of Nepal and Maoist chief, to join the main stream politics.

Commenting over the call for poll boycott given by Maoists Yadav asks them to take a leaf out of the book recently held Kashmir election and said: “See what happened in Kashmir…people defied poll boycott given by separatists.”

However Yadav before travelling to the rugged terrain of Tamar and addressing the rally here had an advice for Soren, on Saturday morning, when he asked him to join Maoist groups if he indeed loved them to call his brothers and sisters.

“I have known this man (Soren) from the last many years, I helped him a lot…but he is not trustworthy at all”, Yadav remarks about Soren. He further pokes fun he sums up Soren as a man who virtually lost his political sense. The listeners found it interesting when Yadav attacked Soren with earthy puns “Iske kuch bhi samajh me nahi aata hai, ye bekar ho gaya hai ab ye Tamar me bikas ki Bahar lane ki baat kar raha hai (He does not understand anything, he has become redundant, now he claims to bring carry the wave of development in Tamar.)

“He never visited Tamar before the election neither his party JMM has any support base…only state officials can ensure his victory otherwise he has no taker here”, Yadav takes a dig him.The other JD (U) leaders such as MLA Radhakrishna Kishore, Brisin Patel the Education Minister of Bihar government also sought votes for Munda. “Yes, your vote can change the fortune of Jharkhand”, Kishore exhorts the throng and hydra of hands are raised upward in the support.

But Soren appeared un-phased in his campaign and continued to repeat what he said one the first day of his campaign—his agenda for development. His meeting gathered as much crowd which his JD (U) counterpart Yadav could not net in.

“He held six meetings on the closing day”, said one of his close aides. Soren mingled with the cheered crowd at Pundigiri at Arki block. Village Virbanki was his next stop where Soren reminded the voters of his commitments towards development. “I know that Tamar is not developed and it my duty to bring development, I promise development and you promise me vote”, Soren adds.

His cavalcade follows to catch him at Amlesha and than Kota and than Bundu where he ended his campaign along with his party leaders and cabinet colleagues Bandhu Tirkey and Sudhir Mahto.

My government is providing food grains at lower prices…every thing would come including Indira Awas and BPL card for poor people. The canal of Tamar would gush with water soon I am elected from here”, Soren promises. The explanation of the following is left upon Sudhir Mahto who explains people and media person about the agenda of development as Soren has been stating.

And even there, there were loose clusters to hear them out, no more. Neither of the chief contenders for power bothered — rather dared — to come anywhere closer to remote villages of Tamar unofficially under the control of Maoist.

It was left for yesterday’s genie and the gentleman of the day Peter who rather preferred to mix with the people with whom he claimed to have an affinity. “I am least worried about the result I will continue to work for the people no matter even if I loose the election”, he said while campaigning at Raidih.

It’s a faraway war that the state capital Ranchi is hotting up over; Tamar is gearing for its own.

65th birthday gift brings down Soren

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi Monday, January 12, 2009 Front page

The high-voltage political drama over much-speculated resignation of Chief Minister Shibu Soren seems to have come to the conclusion after Soren announced his intention to resign from the post of the Chief Minister on Monday. He is expected to resign early in the day, with a condition that there is no compromise on Champai Soren getting the Chief Minister's post.

On Sunday, Soren celebrated his 65th birthday but his fortune had something else as his birthday gift --- his resignation from the Chief Minister's post. His political size was already shortened after his defeat in Tamar by-election and his very late decision to resign did not compensate to it.

"After consulting my party workers and MLAs, I decided to tender my resignation. But at the same time I want to make it clear that the JMM would not compromise on the name of the next Chief Minister - Champai Soren - as decided by the Central Executive Committee of the party," Soren said this while addressing a Press conference at his residence, on Saturday.

Soren's UPA partners might find it an occasion to celebrate and flash victory sign but Soren dropped thick hint of political uncertainty and deadlock Jharkhand could be facing if other UPA parties did not agree to that name. It means the State would go under the President's Rule.

Soren, who was all set to fly to New Delhi on Sunday to get the name of Champai Soren approved by the central leaders of the UPA suddenly dropped his plan and decided to remain in Ranchi and consult among his party MLAs after deputy Chief Minister Stephen Marandi threw gauntlet on Soren in a late night Press conference on Saturday asking Soren be dignified and step down from his post.

Meanwhile, disgruntled Sudhir Mahato is reported to have left for Delhi on Sunday evening. Soren called the meeting of the UPA leadership at his official residence in the evening. The meeting marked the total aversion of the UPA allies (minus JMM) towards Soren and continued lame plea to stay in power - none of the Congress, the RJD and the independent MLAs turned in the meeting.

For his solace, suspended BJP MLA Vishnu Prasad Bhaiya, who offered his resignation from Jamtara Assembly constituency to make way for Soren could be seen at CM House and the rest of the place was occupied by the media.

Battle of words continued on Sunday when Marandi and other independent ministers served demarche on Soren either to resign by this Saturday night or face nightmare. The group headed by the erstwhile Chief Minister Madhu Koda, who boycotted the meeting of the called by Soren, said that Soren had no locus standi to call any such meeting as he was not the chairperson of Jharkhand UPA Steering Committee.

The sources close to Soren said that he was likely to submit his resignation to the Governor of the state Syed Sibte Razi on Saturday evening. But the authoritative sources within the Governor's secretariat said that Soren did ask for any appointment to meet the Governor.

"As you media people are running on speculation we have the same condition here…the news channels have been flashing the breakings that Soren had an appointment with the Governor but this is not the fact," a senior official of the Governor's secretariat said this.

It largely turned a rumour as the sources in the Chief Minister's House confirmed later on that Soren had no such appointment with the Governor. If the top JMM sources are to be believed, the Central UPA leaders were apprised of the decision of the JMM which decided to elect Champai. But the central leadership categorically asked Soren to step down.

Search for next Jharkhand CM on

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi Saturday, January 10, 2009 Front Page

The political story of Jharkhand of the day opens with defeated Chief Minister Shibu Soren with another erstwhile Chief Minister Madhu Koda, who barely three months back was forced to make way for the former, along with their common Cabinet colleague Bandhu Tirkey camping in New Delhi to find a new Chief Minister for the State.

Soren's short lease on power was rudely snatched away by voters of Tamar. Now, three days later, the once-hallowed house of the Soren has suddenly appears to be fighting an even longer banishment from Jharkhand political centre-stage.

With each passing day, this story turns juicier - political parties add the spices of its taste - confusing but interesting, after all. On Friday evening Soren met in-charge of Jharkhand Congress Ajay Maken and discussed the way to short out the politico-constitutional deadlock of Jharkhand - a bonus that the voters of Tamar gave besides the stunning defeat of Soren.

Soren now deferred the matter and left the JMM to decide its meeting of the Central working committee scheduled to be held on Saturday. Both Soren and the UPA are left with no alternatives to replace him as the Chief Minister. Meanwhile, the Central and State leadership of the Congress is not willing to keep Soren at the helm of affairs any longer.

RJD Supreme Lalu Prasad wants Madhu Koda to take the rein but it is not accepted to Soren. Soren proposed the name of his Cabinet colleague Bandhu Tirkey but no consensus emerged as the RJD and the Congress have expressed their unwillingness towards him.

On Friday, it was the turn of the suspended BJP MLA Vishnu Prasad Bhaiya, now loyal to the JMM to present another amusing political recipe. The MLA who resigned as the MLA of Jamtara urged this crestfallen leader to contest from Jamtara and be the Chief Minister again. However, there was no taker of his offer when he submitted resignation letter to Soren (not to the Speaker) a month back with a piece of advise "do not trust Congress, do not go to Tamar; Jamtara is politically safe for you". "I have asked Guruji (Soren) to contest election from Jamtara and be the Chief Minister again and he assured me not to commit the mistake (expletive deleted). Let him return from Delhi and the matter would be finalized." There is all likelihood that the JMM central working committee might ask Shibu Soren to try his luck from Jamtara. Constitutionality and morality do not matter, it is politics.

Sitting in New Delhi it is time for Chief of Jharkhand Vikash Morcha Babulal Marandi to add his own potion of spice in form of constitutionality and morality in the politics.

"I will not hesitate from contesting from Jamtara if Soren continues to defile the politics and tries to stick to the power by contesting another elections just to remain in power …I do not rule out this possibility. The way politicians like Soren are becoming immoral in politics especially in Jharkhand I can't shun away from my responsibility," Marandi said this during a telephonic conversation with this correspondent.

While in Jharkhand Bhawan in New Delhi, Madhu Koda was quoted as saying on Friday "hamare paas sare MLA ka support hai or hum phir sarkar banane ki bat kar sakte hai. (We have the support of MLAs and we? can talk about the formation of the Government again.)

This is not that typical 'We' of the Hindu right wing - rather during his interaction with the media Koda referred we as himself and dropped enough hint that he nourished the ambition to take rein as the seventh Chief Minister of Jharkhand. Memories of the ignominious ouster of 2008 perhaps haunts the young Koda enough to keep him tethered to caution as he still not ready to open his strategy.

Backed by RJD supreme Lalu Prasad, Koda hopes that there could be no reason that could prevent him from becoming the Chief Minister. The Congress source added that the party would have no problem with Koda because he was more accessible for the Congress and its State in-charge Ajay Maken.

"We don't want 'President Rule' in the State, there should be a new Chief Minister and Soren must resign and even the Congress in-charge have asked them to short out the issue of Chief Minister ship otherwise the state would have to go under President Rule," said a senior Congress leader.

But for Soren problem is numerous and more daunting than Tamar. Soren have already made his intention known to resign, but leaving sufficient space for speculation, 'when'. Now he is in search for a faithful face within the JMM to take rein of the State. But the majority of the JMM would not like the idea of a non-tribal Chief Minister or a Chief Minister other than the JMM. "We are 17 in number in the Assembly and we can't be wished away as such. The party is clear cut in its opinion", JMM chief whip Mathura Prasad Mahto said.

The JMM insiders confided that a senior most tribal MLA of the party should be preferred for this job hinting at the Agriculture Minister Nalin Soren has emerged as a rallying point to replace Soren.

Buttressing the claim of Nalin Soren, the JMM sources said besides being a tribal he has administrative acumen to run the State as well as he has been a trusted lieutenant of Soren.

Curtain has not been raised over this political drama; till this report was filed the actors behind the stage were busy giving last shape to their political make-up and dialogues-both in New Delhi and Jharkhand.

The giant killer

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi Friday, January 9, 2009 National front page

He's virtually become the king of all he surveys. Raja Peter is the cynosure of all eyes today; it's really tough to ignore this man. A sea of humanity could be seen vying to touch this man, who created a history of sorts by defeating the stalwart of Jharkhand politics.

A former engineer in Tata Steel who followed the route of a rebel, the journey of this man from Gopal Krishna Patar to Raja Peter and then Peter Bhaiya can be a source of inspiration for many.

The youngest son of late Chetramohan Patar of village Kamarappa, Peter entered politics in 2003 and contested against Ramesh Singh Munda in the Tamar Assembly election in 2005, when he lost by a thin margin of 5,000 votes. He had a brief stint with the Congress in 2007, but soon left the party and joined the Jharkhand Party of Ainosh Ekka.

Following the footprints of his father, Peter has devoted his life in social service and is popular among the poor and the destitute as a native version of Robin Hood. He came to limelight when he held a padyatra in 2007 from Ulihatu to the Governor's House for 21 points, demanding the revival of the defunct Kanchi river irrigation project and Raisa river project, among other things.

His two brothers are well settled while his two sisters are lecturers in colleges. His wife Arti Devi is also running an NGO, Sanjivini Gram Trust, to help the poor.

BJP takes battle to Guv House

BJP calls Jharkhand bandh against police brutality

Vijay Deo Jha February 13, 2009 (National Front Page)
Ranchi

This could have been the hottest dateline at home today—thousands of the BJP workers led by the national vice president Yaswant Sinha and the leader of the opposition Arjun Munda and others revealed a surprise by breaking the high security arrangements of the Governor’s House.
In the ledger of the law-keepers, the day might be described as more or less peaceful barring a few injury cases and minor scuffle.

But the party vice president Dineshanand claims that during their struggle nearly 55 workers suffered injury at the hand of the police forces and a good number of them were sent to the hospital. The injured included Sinha, Munda, Saryu Rai, Dinesh Sarangi, the state Goswami, besides a score of party workers—Lajpatirai Birmani, Devendra Singh, Satish Singh, Rahul Pandey and Yogesh Malhotra who suffered injury. Later on the leaders were brought to Governor’s House dispensary for treatment.

Sources said that out of 55 injured, 52 party activists were released after first aid while 3 persons — State BJP spokesperson Sanjay Seth with leg fracture; Khokha Singh with multiple injury and Harinarayan Sahni with leg injury — have been admitted into Seva Sadan.

Today’s protest has been the signature tune of the further movement of the party that was explained in a passionate discharge by the party state president Raghuwar Das and leader of the opposition Arjun Munda at a press conference at the party headquarter.

The BJP has called for Jharkhand bandh on Friday, from 6 AM to 3 PM. And the BJP is guaranteeing it will take that cry across the country.

“The party will hold dharna near Parliament House for the dissolution of the State Assembly on February 17 and we will show black flags to governor where ever he goes to attend any public function programme”, Das added.

“What Razi did is worse than the ‘Emergency’…the police forces did not spare the women workers. In the coming days the governor will have a tough time to justify all that happened under his nose”, Munda added.

However it is altogether a different story that arrangements to meet any eventuality were rapidly summoned and put into place. The city DSP Mahesh Ram Paswan and other officials could be seen asking forces and troops to fan across the four gates of the Governor’s House.

Charlie remained on the post but they were unable to stop nearly thousands party workers who took barely 10 minutes to raze down the security cordon erected at Machali Ghar. “The bastion has fallen”, roared Munda and jubilant workers with party flag gushed to the main gate of the Governor’s House with “Jai Shri Ram”. But the BJP had a new war cry in the works here: Sinhashan khali karo janta aa rahi hai.

This so-called victory was soon retaliated by heavy lathi charge and pouring of colour water that left all its top leaders injured and red from head to toe. The Governor’s House thus turned into a virtual battle filed—a fit case of live reporting. But the sources in the Governor’s House told to this correspondent that the security forces were cautioned to maintain restrain even in the case of worse provocation.

Sinha charged governor for police brutality against the party workers. “Nobody is safe in Jharkhand and now onward this governor would also not be safe. We demand his removal and the BJP has counted all the brutalities and would pay in the same coin”.

Sinha indicated that the party would decide its next course of action. We will sit together to decide how to intensify our agitation to save democracy which this governor has stifled.
“Look at the Governor’s House it is crestfallen and governor is under self imposed confinement”, Munda commented where as

The main gate No.1 became the theatre of eyeball to livid eyeball confrontation of the senior party leaders with the security men.

For one hour the senior party leaders—Sinha, Munda, Rakesh Sinha and many others staged demonstration at the main gate of the Governor’s House demanding the dissolution of the State Assembly and the removal of the Governor Syed Sibte Razi.

Both Sinha and Munda were fumed at the police brutality and said: “No body is safe now this governor will also not remain safe. We have counted each injury marked on the body of our workers…we will pay them in the same coin.

On the other post near Kuchary Chawk, not party flag but brick that were in more restless hands of the party workers. It was thrown, and it was returned by the same.

Over to New Delhi, which is where the negotiations, quite really, are: the JMM chief and former Chief Minister Shibu Soren is trying to start negotiation to form next government.