Coalition partners slug it out for ‘Home

’Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi


Pix by Malay Kumar

Battle for ‘Home’ is public now. Denial of Home portfolio to the AJSU chief and Deputy Chief Minister, Sudesh Mahato, led to a high-tension political drama on Wednesday. Within a fortnight of assuming power, the coalition partners of Shibu Soren-led NDA-JMM-AJSU Government started facing discord.

Mahato held a five-hour long marathon meeting with his party MLAs on Wednesday. Soren remained adamant and refused to send any of his emissaries to persuade the AJSU to fall in line. BJP State president and deputy Chief Minister Raghuwar Das, however, reached to persuade Mahato on late evening.

Trying to play down the issue, Das termed it a case of misunderstanding among the coalition partners. He hoped: “It will be sorted out within couple of days…we will put this issue before the CM tomorrow for discussion.”
Mahato, who rescheduled the timing of the Press briefing thrice, however, tried to remain tight-lipped over the decision taken during the meeting with his MLAs. Standing along with Das; Mahato was pressed to answer as to why he convened an emergency meeting of the party MLAs day after the allocation of portfolios.
“From a long time we did not sit together. It was an informal meeting, nothing else.” But Mahato dropped enough hint of his displeasure over the non-allocation of Home to him. “I do not think it is a big issue…but promise is promise.” And the promise meant Home to Mahato, the department the young Minister likes the most.
The AJSU has blamed the JMM for not keeping its promise of giving the Home department which it claimed was agreed during the post-poll alliance among the NDA, the JMM and the AJSU party.
Sources present in the AJSU meeting said that Mahato was quite unhappy after Soren also kept the portfolio of mines and geology. In his meeting with Das, Mahato is also reported to have raised objection after one of the ministers from the party quota Uma Kant Rajak got only one portfolio: Labour and Employment.
Soren, during the allocation of portfolios on Tuesday, retained Home. The AJSU having five MLAs in Soren-led NDA-JMM-AJSU Government got three ministerial berths.
Meanwhile Soren justified the allocation of the portfolio. Well-placed sources in the CM House confided Soren having held an emergency meeting this evening. “He is not in the mood to hand over Home to anybody. He is not in the mood to bend further beyond the point. The Chief Minister, so far, has not opened any communication channel with the AJSU. AJSU got a good number of plum departments…what else they want?”
Sources in the JMM said that Soren has been advised to keep Home department with him. JMM’s spin doctors exulted high hope that the controversy would not graduate beyond the media column.
“One cannot rule out the possibility that Soren would ultimately buy peace with the AJSU to save his Government by conceding its demand,” a senior Cabinet Minister said. Soren is quite keen to keep Vigilance and other key departments falling under Home with him. Home will be for the namesake in that case.


http://www.dailypioneer.com/229230/Coalition-partners-slug-it-out-for-‘Home’.html

‘Capital’ superstition gulps Sun in city

Vijay Deo Jha / Shilpi Ranchi Saturday, January 16, 2010

Pix by Malay Kumar

A little past 12.07 pm and the sky became theatre of pure black magic of celestial sun. Sun was no fire ball today. From fire ball to an apple's bite, then a mere half ring and finally into the crescent it had many shapes.

Thin gray cloud curtain dropped many a times, but it was visible in most of the part of Jharkhand with several celestial breaks. Longest ever sun eclipse of this millennium - three and half hours - and the next could be possible only on December 23, 3043 AD. And nobody wanted to miss this rare sight.

Superstition grabbed the minds of the locals for the whole day. "Ah. Devil is trying to devour Sun god. Ominous but beautiful. It will be repeated thousands years later only. Oh do not miss it," Sashikant Tiwari acclaims with mystique note standing on the top of Pahari Temple.
Best high sites of the town Tagore Hill, Pahari Temple and skyrocketing apartments were occupied by rationalist, theist, astrologer, scientist and devotee with their earthy, sophisticated equipments and arguments: seeking science and salvation.

Some were seen at river Swarnarekha standing in the muddy water of the river seeking salvation and watching reflection of solar eclipse on the quivering surface of the water body.
Sun eclipse got an unalloyed infamy - inauspicious evil - when you should not cast an eye on your near and dear, you should remain in home till Rahu and Ketu release the Sun from its custody.
Yet there were thousands men, women, children, old, chased out by a human desire to observe tryst with the devil--first hand--with lips mumbling some mantras. Manoj Mishra priest of Pahari Temple said what sun eclipse of Friday exactly meant. "Evil and propitious at the same time. Today is Mauni Amavasya also. Prayer and chant of mantras is the best antidote to counter ill impact of the eclipse. Even Gods are not immune from it." So was the reason Gods were confined in the safe custody, even Lord Shani, by their earthy guardians on Thursday evening for due precautions and parents too, kept their children inside the homes till the solar eclipse ended.

Pahari Temple of Lord Mahadeva, Jagannathpur Temple of Lord Krishna and all other temples remained close. And those who were there were poor, destitute and leapers to receive doles from the devotees to keep the ill at way. "In form of dole we also take misfortune of the people. We are sons and daughters of God. Solar eclipse does not affect us," a leaper named Binda near the temple of Lord Shani at Gadikhana exhibited another side of the story.

Far from city's hustle-bustle was BIT Mesra. A bay of scientists, professors, and students of Applied Mathematics Department had tilted their sophisticated telescope towards the sky. "Such celestial phenomenon is an opportunity to understand impact on temperature, level of radiation during and after eclipse and the impact on other members of the solar family," said the head of the department NC Mohanti. The entire project was funded by NASA. There are many Mohanti's who did not believe in superstition and infamy attached to solar eclipse. "No harm, you can watch it with due precaution," he said.

It was for the local and national news channel that devoted prime time telecast debate between rationalist and theist over spiritual prophecy and scientific prediction: often stonewalled.

Rationalists' awareness campaign quoting NASA's report had no impact on expected mothers and grandfathers/ mothers. Many of them kept expected mothers away from surgical knife for a Cesarean. "I am praying Lord Hanuman so that my daughter does not suffer from labour pain at least today. I have seen instances when disfigured child has taken birth on the day of solar eclipse," Sumitra Devi standing outside the temple at RIMS said fearfully.

The big show was over by 3.26 pm. Sun emerged insipid yet full-bodied, like the swill of good tea. Life resumed again, people came out of their home, same traffic chaos all around. All back to the business, shops, office, and mundane drudgery.

Temple's doors were cranked opened to offer Gods bath to purify. "Oh. Sun God is back again. Devil has gone," Phulo Devi, 80 years old frail widow heaved a sight of relief. Scientist of BIT and BAU were assessing data.


http://www.dailypioneer.com/229681/‘Capital’-superstition-gulps-Sun-in-city.html

Short-but-shining Sankaranarayanan showed how to deliver

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi Monday, January 18, 2010

Six months back when he took oath as the Governor of Jharkhand, K Sankaranarayanan had hit the headlines by briefing the media his priorities. Many had doubted him then.

He soon proceeded to dust off the files and put up a “Do Not Disturb” board outside his office. Jharkhand under the President’s Rule had got a new task master.

That remained an unalloyed image of the Sankaranarayanan’s governorship. Skeptic Opposition doubted his appointment as a desperate bid of the Congress to revive the image of the party in Jharkhand and the priorities, he stated, ‘as poll promises”.

However, the Governor was quick to dispel the Opposition’s fears. “I am not here to do politics. If I ever wish I would go to Kerala,” he had said. And when he left he did not leave behind the trail of controversy and muck unlike his immediate predecessor.

“Zero tolerance to corruption,” he said and orders were soon followed. CBI conducted massive raids against Avinash Kumar; former OSD of former Governor Syed Sibtey Razi, Rajesh Kumar; PA of Razi and Health Secretary Pradeep Kumar. Those brazen former ministers of the State Government who never cared for law despite corruption charges were lined up for punishment. Vigilance bureau expedited investigations against them. Ainosh Ekka, Harinarayan Rai and Kamlesh Singh landed in judicial custody. Another Bhanu Pratap Shahi and Bandhu Tirkey are too meek now.

Here was a Governor belonging to a different school of politics: Picked from the Raj Bhavan of Nagaland for the Raj Bhavan of Jharkhand, where the office of the Governor had no more remained the dressing room of virtue.

Administrative accountability, transparency, zero tolerance to the corruption and streamlining of the PDS system and NREGA, he had listed as his priorities. Sankaranarayanan showed the Jharkhand establishment how to work. And soon the poor of the State began to receive 35 kg of food grains through PDS shops.

System left him baffled and he was honest to accept fault. “I was surprised to note that not a grain of PDS sugar had been lifted and distributed since the creation of Jharkhand.”
Nevertheless, some went overboard suspecting that he could not get the feel of the woe of the poor and tribal, because, he did not know Hindi. He could speak either Malyalam or English. Man quoting this was Karia Munda, the Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha. Sankaranarayanan was unabashed in telling that he did not know Hindi. “Can language be a barrier to understand the pain? I know the pain of the people.”

A peaceful Assembly election, and a peaceful accession of Shibu Soren as the head of the NDA-JMM-AJSU post-poll coalition Government in Jharkhand was perhaps the best thing. In Jharkhand where coalition politics and Governments often remained unruly, he never allowed Raj Bhavan to be used as the bed of politics and make and break of coalition. Intention to this, he had announced on the very first day. “I had been in Nagaland where I conducted election free and fair. I promise to do it in Jharkhand.”

But the pitfalls of his regime were obvious and too many. The BJP protested when he said that an elected Government would be in place by the month of January 2010. The BJP interpreted it as a move of the Congress to delay the Assembly election.

One of his zealous advisors TP Sinha ran to church to seek cooperation of the missionaries in food grains distribution. Many doubted Sankaranarayanan’s secular credential and termed it a bid to coax Christian vote banks before the election. The murder of special branch officer Francis Induwal by Maoists put a question over his administration and what he had said a few week back about red rebels. “Naxals do not kill honest officials,” Sankaranarayanan had said to the State officials in a programme at Administrative Training Institute.

A small State, too many contradictions, thousands of problems and no easy solutions, Sankaranarayanan paved some ways, proving how wrong doubters were.

http://www.dailypioneer.com/230031/Short-but-shining-Sankaranarayanan-showed-how-to-deliver.html

PM assures release of Jharkhand’s due

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has agreed to release a package of Rs 482 crore to Jharkhand. He said this during a meeting with Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren, Deputy Chief Ministers Raghuwar Das and Sudesh Mahato in New Delhi on Monday.

Seeking intervention of the Prime Minister, Soren apprised him of the 12th Finance Commission’s recommendation for the grant of Rs 482 crore to Jharkhand. The State was denied the sanctioned amount on the ground that it didn’t held panchayat election in Jharkhand.
The Chief Minister explained that elections of the panchayat could not be conducted since the matter was pending in the Supreme Court. He assured the Prime Minister that elections would soon be conducted since the apex court has passed its verdict in the case.

Soren contended that Jharkhand was denied funds under the head of BRGF on the same ground, but the fund was later released. He said that the amount is used for the rural development. The Jharkhand Chief Minister requested the Prime Minister to release Rs 482 crore. The Prime Minister assured him to release the amount after consulting the Union Finance Ministry.
In another demand, Soren requested Singh to shift headquarters of CCL to Jharkhand from West Bengal. He said that Jharkhand produced 40 per cent of the total coal but the State does get due benefit since headquarters of the CCL is located outside Jharkhand.

In view of persistent draught in Jharkhand, Soren appealed to the Prime Minister for a special package. The Chief Minister said that the State Government has been trying to provide relief and assistance to the affected people within limited resources. Singh assured the delegation to look into the matter.

Deputy Chief Ministers Raghuwar Das and Sudesh Mahato, CM’s Principal Secretary Sukhdeo Singh and MLA Hemant Soren were the part of the delegation.

Soren also called on former Prime Minister and BJP stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee at his residence and sought his blessings. The leaders later met BJP leader Arun Jaitley.

http://www.dailypioneer.com/230312/PM-assures-release-of-Jharkhand’s-due.html

Party time in BJP but no time for Chintan Baithak

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi Tuesday, January 19, 2010

It is an ostrich-like BJP, head in sands. The BJP seems to have put a premium over its failure in the State Assembly election. Though, party had formed the Government after joining hands with the JMM and the AJSU; but the party found no time for introspection: Chintan Baithak.

“We have formed the Government but we should sit together to find out reasons behind party’s defeat so that we correct the things,” senior party leader, Saryu Rai told The Pioneer.

Sources in the party said that no meeting of the party took place after the results were declared nor there is any proposal to do so. Raghuwar Das was in hurry to submit his resignation from the post of party’s State president, soon after he joined the Shibu Soren’s Government, as the deputy Chief Minister.

He was also asked to continue in his office till further arrangement was made. Any decision over the appointment of the next president is likely to be taken after two-days meeting of the BJP National Council starting from February 17.

The party is running without a leader since others like Arjun Munda are not stated to be keen to prod the party for introspection. Insiders said that the fissure among party leaders have developed into a major fault-line.

It is because all of them had an equal burden in the poor performance of the party. The party could not retain respectable tally this time. It won only 18 seats, far below from what it had won in the Assembly election in 2005. But the greater part of the story is that sentiments are running high against party’s organisational secretary, Ranjan Patel who has been blamed for party’s discomfiture.

A section of the party has now demanded the removal of Patel, who rather failed to exhibit his organisational skill. Patel is likely to be removed from Jharkhand BJP affairs, sources in the BJP said.

“His performance was below to the expectation of the party. Instead running the party based on the consensus, he patronised factionalism and he remained detached from the party workers more or less and acted as the chief executive officer of the party,” a senior party leader said.

While it is mandatory for an organisational secretary of the BJP to make regular visit of different constituencies and stay with party workers, the system came to an end with Patel. Even during parliamentary and Assembly election, Patel was never seen in the constituencies. He remained confined to his official residence at party headquarter in Ranchi.

The party organisation remained disorganised during the election and different factions remained stonewalled to each others. Patel was hardly available to discipline the party. Sources said that Patel is no more in the good book of the RSS and the organisation on many occasions expressed displeasure over his way of functioning.

Though, the BJP has not started any preliminary investigation of its failure nor the district units have been asked to furnish any report insiders said that allocation of tickets to weak candidates was a prime reason.

For instance, the party was routed in Santhal Pargana while winning only two seats. The party virtually surrendered before the corporate giant and party MP from Godda Nishikant Dubey, who had a major say in the selection of the candidates in Santhal Pargana.
Too many skeletons are tumbling in the cupboards of the BJP.


http://www.dailypioneer.com/230284/Party-time-in-BJP-but-no-time-for-Chintan-Baithak.html

Guruji receives lessons in governance from ex-Guv

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi Thursday, January 21, 2010


Chief Minister Shibu Soren got tips on good governance from none other than K Sankaranarayanan, the outgoing Governor.

At a farewell function organised at the CM residence, located on Kanke Road on Wednesday, Sankaranarayanan said: “Transparency, accountability and vision for development are the keys to good governance, and I hope the Chief Minister would follow this.”

Soren, who took charge recently, was quick to reciprocate. “Sankaranarayanan is one of the best Governors Jharkhand has ever seen. He commanded respect from all sections. We are unfortunate that his tenure has been cut short. We could have been benefited by his wise advice in running the Government.”

Sankaranarayanan spoke his mind over problems and prospects in Jharkhand. “We need to develop value system…fix accountability. Academic discussions and resolutions are only eyewash in solving the problems.”

He advised Soren to focus on four major areas, including agriculture, rural employment, public distribution system and ensuring responsibilities and accountabilities of the administration towards the public.

“Soren is a seasoned leader and he understand the problems of the masses…the electorates have given him a chance to perform he should utilise it,” he said.

On being asked whether he was satisfied over his performance, Sankaranarayanan said: “Once you become saturate you cease to perform. There is no yardstick of satisfaction. Stating that he got only 85 days to do something for the people he felt no regret. “I tried to perform and set a deadline for others to perform.

People usually take me as a strict person. But I am not that one. I am happy that I was able to render my service to the people.”

He warned that the failure of the administration to reach to the people often results into people losing faith in the Government and administration. For instance, he quoted the failure of the previous Governments in ensuring supply of food grains through PDS shops and irregularities in rural employment schemes.

“One problem begets another set of problems it is precisely true in Jharkhand. I tried to concentrate on the core issues and problems. I got little time to perform. I could not do so many things. But then you have an elected government and I hope Soren will fulfil the expectations of the people,” said the outgoing Governor.

As he left for new assignment as the Governor of Maharashtra, Sankaranarayanan was satisfied that his tenure brought no political controversy in Jharkhand and transition of power remained smooth.

“The moment Soren staked claim to form a Government, I lost no time to invite him. My task was limited. I am happy that my tenure ended on dignified note getting love and respect of the people,” Sankaranarayanan said.

http://www.dailypioneer.com/230826/Guruji-receives-lessons-in-governance-from-ex-Guv.html

Soren left out in CMs meet on Op Green Hunt

Vijay Deo Jha RANCHI Friday, January 22, 2010


The Union Home Ministry has clarified that Jharkhand has not been ignored in the Operation Green Hunt (OGH) in Naxal-hit States.

The clarification came in the wake of the proposed meeting of Union Home Minister P Chidambaram with the Chief Ministers of three Naxal-hit States --- Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Orissa --- which is scheduled to be held in Raipur on Friday. Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren has not invited for the meeting.

It led to the speculation that the Union Home Ministry was quite unwilling to invite Soren for such a crucial meeting on the anti-Maoist operation. This probably happed after Soren precisely hinted at his unwillingness to fall in Centre's ambitious plan to launch mass offensive against Naxals under the Operation Green Hunt.

The office of the Chief Minister woke up late Wednesday night soon after the news of the proposed meeting landed in public domain. Sources in the Government told The Pioneer that Soren rang up to his Principal Secretary to know about the fact.

"Jharkhand has not been ignored if the CM was not called for the meeting," MA Siddique, the senior official of the Ministry told The Pioneer on telephone from New Delhi. He contended that even Bihar, West Bengal Chief Ministers were not invited in this round of meeting.

"The proposed meeting with the Chief Ministers of three States," he said, "was part of the plan of the Centre to review security, and, strategy to control naxalism in these States."

As Jharkhand is affected by Naxal movement, it cannot be ignored in the larger scheme of things. Chidambaram has already visited Jharkhand twice in the past. In the coming days, the minister could hold another meeting with the Chief Ministers of other Naxal-affected States, including Jharkhand," he said. Source in the ministry said another such crucial meeting is likely to be held the next month.

Ministry's spokesperson Kedia declined to reveal any information about the Friday meeting and the non-inclusion of Jharkhand CM. But at least one senior official of the ministry cited two reasons on the condition of anonymity. "Operation Green Hunt has already been started in these three States. We are still waiting for a clear signals from the Jharkhand Government …it is quite confusing right now. It is one of the most important meetings where the decision about the timing of the precision attack on Naxals based on intelligence input could be taken," he said.

This meeting, he said, is region and area specific. "And in case of a big operation like OGH it will be necessary for effective manning of the porous boarders to stop the flight of the Naxals from one State to another. The IB in its report to the Central has warned that the Naxal having rat like mobility can sneak in Jharkhand in case of a massive hunt. Jharkhand shares a vast stretch of boundary with Chhattisgarh and Orissa and it is quite likely that Chidambaram's new concert against Naxalism would run in peril.

"There is no point to involve Jharkhand in review meeting of ongoing operation. The State Government has already expressed its view against OGH. But Jharkhand will certainly be consulted and all logistic supports will be provided once the state government is prepared to start operation against naxalism," officer said.

He gave the example of Orissa, a key Naxalite-affected State. Orissa has recently joined Chidambaram's war against Naxal after it had politely begged off the joint security operations, stating its police force is currently not up to the challenge.

Is Jharkhand ready to be the hunting ground of Operation Green Hunt? While Chidambaram during a media briefing two days back asked Soren to give clear instructions to the State police to start operations against Naxals, Soren continued to emit confusing signals. But State DGP Neyaz Ahmed told The Pioneer: "We are preparing for major operation against Naxals. Major operation means Operation Green Hunt."

Soren falls in PC line over Green Hunt

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi 23 January, 2010

Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren sought to throw off the notion that he was opposed to the Operation Green Hunt in Jharkhand.

“I am not opposed to Centre’s plan of anti-Maoist offensive. I am not against Operation Green Hunt. The operation is being carried on in Jharkhand,” Soren said on Friday.

However, at the same time he recommended peace initiatives with Naxals. “I again ask Naxals to abjure killing of innocent people and come forward for dialogue. We want to know about their demands.”

The media also wanted to know from Soren as to why he was not invited in the meeting of Union Home Minister P Chidambaram with Chief Ministers of Naxal-hit States like Orissa, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra, in Raipur on Friday. “It was a coordination meeting between three States and the involvement of Jharkhand was not required. Jharkhand has been called in another meeting scheduled to be held next month,” Soren claimed.

It was confirmed by Chidambaram on the sideline of the meeting in Raipur. “There is a new Government in Jharkhand. The Chief Minister and other senior officials are coming to Delhi on January 28 to meet me on the Naxalite issue,” Chidambaram informed the media.

Top mandarins, including DGP Neyaz Ahmed and Home Secretary JB Tubid, held a joint Press conference on Friday afternoon and took time to explain that the State Government was not dragging its feet behind in anti-Naxal operations. Though they refused to christen it as Operation Green Hunt, but claimed that the Government has been making all strategic arrangements and a joint operation could be launched.

But they refused to announce a date or a timeline to anti-Naxalite offensive, or even calling it one.

If that is true then Chidambaram’ got political endorsement for his anti-Naxal operation from Soren, who rather feared that any such mass offensive in Jharkhand under Centre’s supervision and monitoring might entail collateral damage to his core tribal constituency.

One of the senior officers of the Union Home Ministry who is coordinating anti-Naxalite operations informed that the Home Department (Jharkhand) has already been asked about the logistic support two months back through an official communiqué. “We are not in the position to disclose any thing. But we got the reply. If the operation gets off from its initial phase it will be free of any jurisdictional constraints and allow real-time cross-border monitoring,” he said.

Détente for Home: Soren meets Mahato
Vijay Deo Jha


When a film actor says that he is looking for a good script that means he is out of the market. And when a minister claims that he is not obsessed with a particular department; it means he is not getting this.

When the deputy Chief Minister and AJSU Chief Sudesh Mahato said that he never demanded Home portfolio it became instantly clear that his pressure tactics failed to impress upon the Chief Minister Shibu Soren to give Home to him (Mahato).

Not happy over the allocation of portfolios specially when Soren kept Home Department with him, Mahato on Wednesday held in-camera meeting with three other AJSU MLAs. It led to a stand-off between Soren and Mahato.

It took three breezy hours of Soren on Thursday morning to convince his deputy Chief Minister to drop his demand. All it happened at Mahato's Kanke residence where Soren made a surprised visit along with his son and MLA Hemant Soren without blaring chief ministerial cavalcades.

With fine morning tea, two bowls of custard and some tilkuts dispute was resolved. Soren emerged from the negotiation room along with Mahato and termed it a courtesy visit on the occasion of Makar Sankranti. "There is no dispute. People want us to perform, we must ensure that we work for the promises we made, that will be our main task," Soren said to the media.

Mahato also aired peace-making note denying that he ever demanded Home portfolio for himself. "I am not one who demanded Home…and I am not dying for that. Who gets what is the prerogative of the Chief Minister. My sole concern is how to run the government based on a Common Minimum Programme (CPM). CM has assured me to form a committee very soon comprising coalition partners"

Sources both in the AJSU and the JMM confided that Soren struck a tactical deal with Mahato. "Instead Home, Mahato is likely to be allotted the department of Rural Development. Soren had an elaborate discussion over it. Besides it there might be a minor adjustment in the departments to keep Mahato happy. But please note it is not at the cost of Home ," a close confidant of Soren said.

Though official sources were quite unable to testify the deal, it was party sources that had field day. Parley between Soren and Mahato continued for three hours and sources quoted Mahato as saying that the AJSU must get an honourable position in the government. Mahato is reported to have submitted a list of demands which Soren assured to look into in the coming days.

The BJP is the major alliance partner in Soren led NDA-JMM-AJSU government where Raghuwar Das holds the position of Deputy Chief Minister. Das on Wednesday persuaded Mahato to relinquish his tough stands over Home and others. He offered his mediation between Soren and Mahato which bore result this morning when Soren made unscheduled visit.

BJP insiders said that the party was not in favour of supporting Mahato's war for Home. "If you are the Home Minister that means you are number two in the government. If Mahato is elevated as the Home Minister that will automatically reduce the BJP as the junior most alliance partner in the government despite having 18 MLAs," a senior BJP leader said.

He ended with note of caution that if the CM is denied Home portfolio it really sends a wrong signal among the public.

For time being the State Government got respite. But the JMM is wary over growing demand of the AJSU. "G5 has resurfaced in the state politics again…we need to search friends and allies politically and personally if this government is to continue," a senior JMM leader said.

Miss their voice

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi

The Assembly Hall will not resonate with authoritative voice of those who commanded statistics and figures on their finger tips duringassembly debate. It is because some of them got defeated in the recently held State Assembly election while some of them moved to bigger arena:parliament.

Former assembly Speaker Inder Singh Namdhari, BJP fire brand Saryu Rai and Arjun Munda, former JD (U) leader Radhakrishna Kishore, former finance minister Stephen Marandi are not the part of the third Jharkhand State Assembly the session to which starts from tomorrow.

Both Namdhari and Munda got elected during the parliamentary elections from Palamu and Jamshedpur respectively while Rai, Kishore and Marandi became the victim of voters' backlash irrespective of their contribution in forcing three successive governments to be accountable. If the House will miss them it is because they spoke against their owngovernment.

For instance the BJP government was forced to abandon ambitious Bhagirathi Irrigation Projects involving initial seed money of Rs 10 crore after Kishore raised the issue of the drainage of public money on the name of this project on the floor of the House. Both Rai and Kishore were on the forefront to raise the issue of alleged irregularities in awarding contract to the Meinhardt Singapore Private Limited involving the minister of their own government Raghuwar Das.

In a newly elected House of 81 the first timer commands the majority after 61 sitting MLAs lost the election. "I will suggest them to at least know the assembly proceedings…attend assembly session and take part in the debate the job for which they have been elected," Namdhari wished them. The composition of the last assembly was a curious and baffling mixture of veteran and novice. Nevertheless, "fact remained a majority of MLAs had no knowledge of planned and non-planned expenditure and among them there was the tendency to escape the debate right from the first day of the session," Kishore recollected the fact.

In the last assembly there was a time when all most 98 per cent ordinance and bill tabled by the government passed without the Opposition brining any amendment to that. If the records of proceedings of the House are seen Kishore and Rai were on the forefront of brining maximum amendments to the bill while sitting in the Opposition. Nobody in the Opposition even cared for brining cut motion during the budget motion. "Rai took this initiative and I joined him in grilling the government by brining cut motion and forcing the treasury benchfor a full debate over the budget and the expenditure," Kishore said.

December 2008 budget session: The finance minister Marandi's repeated application of the kerchief to his brow during his 20-minute answer of supplementary questions over the budget asked by Namdhari, Arjun Munda, Rai and Kishore determined their role as the Opposition. His forehead was constantly dehydrating, his hands constantly reaching out for repair and re-hydration. And he was not able to explain as to how he would be able spend the rest 70 per cent of the budgetary allocation of more than Rs 2500 crore in three months before the end of the financial year.

"Ye chamatakar to sirf aap hi kar sakte hai mantriji," (only you can do this miracle minister). The man clad in white attire--Namdhari--had the last word over minister's white lie. Namdhari many called 'headmaster' was a monster among the ministers that coexisted with his saintly look till he remained the Speaker. Namdhari often encouraged the 'silent brigade' in the House to break their Maun Vrata (observance of silence). They included Saurabh Narayan Singh, Gopal Sharan Nath Shahdeo, Israel Ansari, Thomas Hansda, Kunti Singh etc who were the part of 'non-speakers club. There was foul mouth brigade to drag the debate down to the gutter.

Though missing, it is preserved in the proceedings that will soon be archived.

New army of the Congress: 13 spokespersons to counter BJP and dissidents as well
Vijay Deo Jha
Ranchi

Why Jharkhand Congress lost the media war against the BJP in the last general elections.

The state Congress came to know the reason exactly after three months of the results of the elections where it lost five out of six parliamentary seats.

It had no effective media wing and spokespersons to sustain and counter the BJP’s blitzkriegs despite having six spokespersons including media head Dr VP Saran, Ravindra Singh, Gulam Sarvar Rizwi, Prabhat Singh, KK Agrawal and Sima Patra.

The party perhaps felt the need of more and more experienced head and authoritative voices to pitch a high octane battle against the BJP. After all election of the state assembly is at sniffing distance and the party can not risk loosing the battle against the BJP once again.

A senior party leader pointed out that while the entire media cell remained a disorganized house during the general election; a couple of leaders besides the state party president Pradeep Balmuchu were left in the battlefield to defend the party.

The Congress probably thought it wise to do this to counter the BJP, the party quite regular in media briefing. The BJP is quite prone to organise press conference and drop bombshell on the Congress at every issue, major or minor.

The seven new faces: the Union Cabinet Minister Subodhkant Sahai, Radhakrishna Kishore, Stephen Marandi, Rajendra Singh, MLA Sukhdeo Bhagat, Niel Tirkey and CLP leader Manoj Yadav.

With this the total number of spokespersons in the party has swelled from six to 13. About their new responsibilities in the party, a party insider said: “They have been authorised to talk to the media over related issue and spell out the policy of the Congress party.

A senior leader and party spokesperson denied that these seven leaders have been inducted in the media cell or were given the designation of party spokesperson.

“But we felt that senior party leaders must be given responsibilities to counter the BJP leaders of similar position and hierarchy…it is applicable in the case of other parties like the JMM and others,” leader said. The idea to bring seniors of the party on the centre stage was mooted by the state party in-charge K Keshav Rao who to make a cohesive group to counter each and every charge of the BJP that has been growing day by day.


Sources in the party said that Rao and state Congress had expressed dissatisfaction over the working of the media cell and the reluctance of the senior party leaders during parliamentary elections. It was urgently felt to appoint heavy weights to interact with the media and voice the stand of the party.


“There is one more reason behind this,” said another party leader. The state unit was really in hurry to make these appointments after the BJP started giving a daily knock to the Governor K Sankaranarayanan, even on flimsy ground.

The Congress plans the battle in the following way. Sahai who till a week back used to speak to the media about party affairs and others—often at the airport or on the sideline of any programme—will take on BJP veteran Yashwant Sinha. The newly inducted Stephen Marandi can be a counter to the JMM. Similarly the JD (U) turncoat Radhakrishna Kishore can be used against both JD (U) and the BJP’s invectives.

But there is indeed a reason quite that remained unstated. “It has been done not only to counter the BJP. There are many within the party who has been airing contradictory voices over party affairs. These seven will marshal and discipline dissidents also,” one among the seven said.

The number 13 sounds quite ominous. Party’s experiment will be visible in the coming days, there are many who marvel at this jumbo setup.

Lesson for desi raja

Vijay Deo Jha

Ranchi Thursday, July 16, 2009

Syed Sibtey Razi showed the Jharkhand establishment how to win hearts.

Not with packages but with caring eye and promise to solve their problems Razi extended his helping hand to the people who had come from different parts of the State to attend ‘Janta Durbar. The Governor’s House was kept wide open for this on Wednesday.

He personally received the complaints of 368 people. He directed the concerned officials to solve the problem and inform his secretariat within a week about the action taken thereon.

It was a Governor who was not sitting in his royal chair to listen to the grievances of the common man. He rather rubbed his shoulder with the common masses and tried to get the feel of their problems unlike babudom which has been immune to these.

“I have come here to share their pain and suffering and the officials have been directed to take actions within a week. I will take the final decision. People got an opportunity to meet me and I have taken cognizance to their complaints and I will help them,” Razi dropping enough hint that his Janta Durbar was not a tamasha.

The officials will have to face the music if they have taken this initiative as a mere show. “Sabhi ka class lagega, kuch sikayat aisi bhi hai jisme administration ki laparwahi saaf dikhti hai,” a senior official of the Governor’s House quipped.

Will Razi hold another Janta Durbar in future? For those who unfortunately could not get registration to attend ‘Janta Durbar’ Razi signalled: “For me such initiatives are taken to be continued in future. Razi was trying to make the administration responsive to the need of the people and wanted to know how in the past his administration handled the problem of the common masses.

Only last year the former Chief Minister Shibu Soren had held similar Janta Durbar which attracted a huge crowd. On Wednesday among the complainants were those whose petitions were received by the same officials last year only to thicken the file.

Razi on his part refused to draw a parallel between the Janta Durbar held by a CM or Minister in the past and one that he organised. “There is no comparison between the two…I do not want to draw a parallel,” Razi curtly said. For media it was an oblique remark against the political mandarins of this state who flaunt their love for people’s welfare.

Tears rolled down the cheeks of Tapsi Chaudhary a native of Sindgora; Jamshedpur. She clasped the Governor’s folded hands and said: “Please do justice Sir. My daughter Mausmi Chaudhary was killed on May 9 by the owner of Air Hostess Academy Dhiraj and the owner of Hotel Sonnet. Police have not revealed the autopsy to ascertain her death.” Razi immediately instructed Gauri Sankar Rath, DG CID to look into the matter.

Razi cast a bewildered look at 82-year-old Ramdhani Chaudhary when he said that the administration refused to give pension facility despite high court’s order in this respect. “Queer case,” Razi mumbled only to find ‘learned officials’ around him to explain this.

Jatasanakar Prasad, the father of Deoghar based deceased reporter Pramod Kumar Munna deplored police apathy in solving the murder case having alleged involvement of the former Minister Harinarayan Rai. The then Chief Minister Madhu Koda had announced to give exgratia of Rs one lakh to the family of Pramod Kumar. So far the family has not received even a penny from the State Government, Razi was informed.

“Sir, I am forced to do begging. I have no means to keep my body and soul together,” Prasad along with his grandchild requested Razi with folded hand. “Police have been investigating this case. But the State Government will certainly help the family,” on being inquired by the media Razi said this.

Razi was visibly impressed to see differently abled Priti Kumari who sought a job for her. Secured 82 per cent marks in ISc examination this year; she also passed the competitive examination of AIEEE. “I am poor and fatherless. I seek your support,” Priti said.

Will officials swing to action after Razi reminded them that he would take the final decision? Will Razi stay as the Governor of Jharkhand till e date of decision and final judgement? Not sure perhaps?

Balmuchu’s days as State Cong chief over

Vijay Deo Jha Thursday, July 16, 2009

What Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said, during a debate on Tuesday, about the tentative date of Jharkhand Assembly election, it was aimed at the audiences sitting in the Central Hall of Parliament. The audiences were a handful of UPA MLAs, including president of the State Congress Pradeep Balmuchu, who had not lost hope of yet another UPA Government in the State.

While the political parties have started exercises for the election, it left many a UPA leaders wary about their future. The well-placed source in the Congress confided that former finance minister Stephen Marandi was in hurry to sport the Congress' tag.

Marandi held a meeting with Ahmed Patel, the political advisor of Congress president Sonia Gandhi over his proposed crossover to the Congress fold. The Congress secretly sent seductive notes to the RJD fold also. "RJD MLA from Sarath Uday Shankar Singh and the Jharkhand Party MLA of Tamar, Raja Peter, are also in the wish list of the Congress.

The party, in fact, is looking for the potential leaders in view of the Assembly elections," said a senior Congress leader indicating about a long list of such leaders. After Chidambaram declined the Congress was willing to form the Government, he hinted the Assembly election could probably be held after the monsoon was over; the hope of Balmuchu was dashed to the ground.

Also the replacement of Balmuchu is a matter of time and the stint of the former might not go beyond the month of July, said a senior Congress leader. The Congress bosses are still to settle the leadership issues in Jharkhand following a campaign against Balmuchu by a section of party leaders.

"Reshuffle in the State unit of the Congress could be made anytime after the proposed revamping of the AICC on Friday. More probably the decision will be made in the favour of a tribal leader for the post of president," a party MLA said after returning from New Delhi.

Till the time the Congress decides a new president, the delay has only created an impasse and a state of confusion among the ranks and file of the party leaders and workers. A deeply divided Congress with atrophied organisational base, this election will be a litmus test for the party.

Even the party insiders accepted that present party president drained precious time in securing the nod of the Central high command to form a Government in Jharkhand. "Probably from the last two months he was trying to divert the attention of the party from the change of the guard in the Congress towards government formation exercise which was meaningless," said Dadai Dubey, the former Congress MP from Dhanbad, a sworn enemy of Balmuchu. A day before the debate in Parliament over the extension of the President's Rule in Jharkhand; State Congress in-charge K Keshav Rao subtly hinted the replacement of Balmuchu.

Union Cabinet Minister for Food and Processing Industries Subodh Kant Sahay, the senior party leader Rajendra Singh and former Union Tribal Affair Minister Rameswar Oraon are the front runners for the post. Whoever be the next Congress president, it will not be an apprentice job.

Web link http://www.dailypioneer.com/189427/Balmuchu’s-days-as-State-Cong-chief-over.html

BJP to question logic behind Prez rule extension

Vijay Deo Jha RANCHI Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Spell and thundershower are likely to occur when the UPA Government will table the bill to seek ratification of the extension of the President’s Rule (PR) in Jharkhand on the floor of the lower house of Lok Sabha on Monday.

After BJP MP Arjun Munda already announced to bring ‘disapproval motion’ against the proposed extension; the proceedings of the house is expected to be full of uproar and disruption. Munda along with other seven MPs of Jharkhand will be on the forefront to protest the bill. Karia Munda is the deputy speaker of the House.

“We will seek an answer from the UPA Government and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh the logic behind the extension of the President’s Rule in Jharkhand,” Munda said this to The Pioneer over telephone from New Delhi. Sources in the central BJP informed about a meeting of the senior party leaders about a close door meeting. In the meeting Munda along with senior party leader and MP Yaswant Sinha were asked to stir the debate when Union Home Minister P Chidambaram will table the bill.

Independent MP Indersingh Namdhari who has been trying to get the time from the chair will also raise BJP’s voices in the House. “I am trying to get the time to put up my point on this issue. But I will certainly like to join the debate to seek an early dissolution of the State assembly and a fresh election alongside. It is politically wrong to keep the assembly under suspended animation after no political party or alliance staked claim to form Government in the State,” Namdhari said.

If the BJP has planned to set a cat among the pigeons the Congress is unperturbed. “There is no cause to worry, this bill will have a safe passage in the House,” a senior Congress leader said over telephone from New Delhi.

But the BJP MPs will use each ‘allotted and snatched minute’ to pile on facts after facts; using their head and memory for statistics to expose the UPA’s design in Jharkhand. The BJP’s high octane note in the house might not have a much political impact. But the party will find solace in its effort to paint the Congress as politically bankrupt.

Even the Congress leaders in their private discourse accepted that the party should take a final decision over the fate of the State assembly as it is creating confusion among the UPA MLAs who have knocked doors of every central Congress leaders to allow them to form Government.

Over the fate of the State assembly and PR in Jharkhand a senior Congress leader said that the assembly could be dissolved in the month of August.

It should be noted that the six-months period of the President’s Rule in Jharkhand will expire on July 19 and the Centre is required to seek ratification of both the Houses to extend PR. The Union Cabinet in its meeting held on July 2 had taken a decision to extend PR in Jharkhand.

The State BJP in the meeting of the working committee already resolved to launch a mass agitation programme for early dissolution of the Assembly. The programme which is scheduled to be launched under the name of ‘Delhi Chale’ Munda was authorised to chalk out the programme.

The best part of the lively debate over PR will take place in the Lok Sabha but one can probably find the UPA MLAs of Jharkhand including State Congress president Pradeep Balmuchu and others who have not lost hope for yet another Government in Jharkhand. But best wishes are not with them.

Health awareness among tribals powers Reddy’s life mission

Vijay Deo Jha

There is nothing special about the caller tune of the mobile phone of Ganesh Reddy.

But, the words of the caller tune “Ham me hai ujala andhiyara mitane ka, hum me hai hausla nai umang jagane ka…,” has been the signature tune of his life and the purpose for which he has been working for the last many years.

Ganesh Reddy, the founder of an NGO, Citizen Foundation (CF), is one who has painstakingly undertaken the task of health awareness and special training among the tribal populace.

“From the days of my childhood I wished to serve society. I along with my friends founded ‘Gandhi Sports Club’ and participated in several programme like Polio eradication,” Reddy said.
He proudly displays the mobile medical van which he got under ‘National Rural Health Mission’ is ready to roll down to the deep interior of the villages of Jharkhand to provide free medical service to the poor people. This van is equipped with doctors, nurses and other state-of-art facilities to provide free treatment to the tribal people of the districts like Simdega, Pakur, Jamtara, Godda and Dumka.

The rugged terrains of Jharkhand are quite familiar to Reddy and he can recount you the name and the topography of the villages of the state where health services do not exist even as token. This time he will try to reach the people with this sophisticated medical van to provide health service at their door step.
“We will chart out the route of the van and medical camp alongside. Everything is free of cost including medicine, x ray,” Reddy says. People die due to malnutrition; anemia and other diseases like malaria etc. and these problems are very acute among the people and many a precious life could have been saved if they could have been provided with medical care on right time, Reddy shared his experience. Working among the hapless tribal populace in the remote villages Poyarijoh, Suderpahari of district Godda Reddy has seen death and hunger from a close quarter.
It is a lesser known fact if Reddy won the heart of masses his effort was duly appreciated by international organizations like UNICEF. The foundation has been working in collaboration with ‘Jharkhand AIDS Control Society’ in Chaibasa for Aids awareness programme. Initially people were hesitant much because of the taboo involved to it but later on the programme turned into a campaign mode.
But initially it was a story of different contrast when he opted for social service. “I am a school drop out. Even my father MBN Reddy had termed me a basket case when I chose social service instead of resuming study,” Reddy revealed this.
Last year his father took his last breath. “But he died as a proud father, once he patted my back for what I am doing today,” Reddy also said.

CF that he established in 1997 along with his friends gave him a wide canvass to reach to the people who really need help. Apart from Jharkhand the foundation has the branches in six other states of Indian including Meghalaya, Bihar, Uttarakhand, New Delhi including NCR and West Bengal. He plans to open the branches of the foundation in Assam. Out of 24 districts of Jharkhand the foundation has its base in 20 districts.

The caller tune ends with high positive note: “Hum me hai jazba nai zindagi banane ka” (we have the spirit to make a new life). For Reddy is it a beginning.

RU foundation day ends on positive note

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi Monday, July 13, 2009

Ovation at ‘Maulana Azad Senate Hall’ and demonstration near ‘Governor’s House’, and both had the field day on Sunday.

It was the occasion of the 49th foundation year of Ranchi University (RU) which ended with a high positive note. Among the speakers including the Chancellor of the university Syed Sibtey Razi and the Vice Chancellor AA Khan in their pithy address to a large gathering at senate hall believed that RU would emerge as the centre of excellence.

Near the Governor’s House the teachers of the university—both retired and working—under the banner of Federation of University Teachers’ Association, Jharkhand had a quite demonstration to fulfill their long pending demands: payment of arrears, gratuity, payment of the backlog of salary under the head of 5th Commission and implementation of 6th Pay Commission.

Razi did not deliver ceremonial sort of address. “In the coming days RU will emerge as the hub of academic excellence,” he said. But he soon reminded them the challenges the era of globalisation and market have placed upon the current education system.

“We need to bring a change in the education system. It must be connected with employment. What happens when a graduate of humanity subject passes out he has no clear picture of his future,” Razi said the audience which nodded with acceptance.

“The quality education,” Razi remarked, “is missing…and it can not be achieved until we provide world class infrastructure to make a change,” Razi said. He narrated the effort of China in this context which has erected State-of-art infrastructure for universities in the country. “Similar initiatives should be taken in our country and if RU has been erecting buildings it is the future of India in making,” Razi said, adding “the State Government will provide every support to the universities of the State to match the standard.

Razi told this in response to what Khan said about the initiative that RU has taken to improve infrastructure and academic performance.

“We have built new buildings and in the coming days we plan to build some more,” Khan said. One of the newly constructed MCA buildings was inaugurated by the Governor on Sunday. “The building of Applied Science could be inaugurated on November 11, which is celebrated as world information day,” Khan said. Three of the colleges of RU have been granted autonomous status, Khan proudly mentioned it.

Khan also informed about the new courses and schemes of RU and appealed the teachers and students to prepare for a switch over to semester and grading system. Khan ended his speech advising the gathering to make a difference between noise and signal of the current education system to extract the best result.

Over to Governor’s House where these teachers had surely not heard what Khan said. They blamed the university officials and babudom for their plight. They had high praise for Razi as the head of the State one who really took initiatives for the redressal of their grievances. “We are thankful to the Governor who has respect for teachers of the State and he has done a lot of for us,” Baban Chaubey of the association said.

Blame on the State bureaucracy as anti-teacher that often stymie the movement of their file with illogical file notes. There was only one bureaucrat Sukhdeo Singh whom they claimed the only bureaucrat who supported the just demand of the teachers.

Most notably they requested RU officials to clear the backlog of the retired university teachers. Some of them retired some 20 years back but their pension has not been fixed while some of them have the daily tour to the office of RU to get their outstanding backlogs cleared, they claimed.

Both the assemblage presented theirs’ side of story; over the megaphone, in this way or that.

JD(U) MLA Kishore resigns from Assembly to join Cong

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi Saturday, July 11, 2009

JD(U) MLA Radha Krishna Kishore resigned from the State Assembly on Friday. “I will join my old party, the Congress, as per my announcement,” Kishore said. Krishna, who is the brother-in-law of DGP VD Ram, submitted his resignation to the office of Assembly Speaker Alamgir Alam.

“After I announced my intention to join the Congress I thought not delay in tendering my resignation from the Assembly. I opted to resign and the moment my resignation is accepted I will resign from the party also,” Kishore told this correspondent.”

From the last one month Kishore was quite vocal about his intention to join the Congress. “I had left the Congress after I was persuaded by the former JD (U) MLA and now MP Chatra Indersingh Namdhari. Namdhari also left JD (U) and I realised that I should return to my old house,” Kishore explained.

Kishore earlier had announced his intention to quit the party after he met the State in-charge of party of the Congress K Keshav Rao a fortnight back. Two days back Kishore during his visit to New Delhi held another round of meeting with the Union minister Subodh Kant Sahay, Rao and State Congress president Pradeep Kumar Balmuchu, who agreed to his come back in the party. During the by-election of two Rajya Sabha, Kishore has cast his vote to the Congress candidate Dhiraj Kumar Sahu.

“Right now I cannot tell you about the date when I will join the Congress; but it is a fait-accompli,” Kishore said. It should be learnt that from the past one year the State Congress had been trying for his come back. Kishore was top on the priority list of the Congress. The Congress even offered to field him as party candidate from Palamu.

Kishore rather opted to remain with the JD(U) to contest the election. He faced a humbling defeat in Palamu and openly blamed the BJP for insuring his defeat.

Interestingly Kishore squarely blamed the BJP for the change of his mind. “No doubt the JD(U) is a secular party and I have no grudge against the JD(U). But in the manner the BJP ditched the JD(U) in the general elections in Palamu and Chatra I find no future of the party,” said Kishore, for whom the Congress is a party of big political canvass.

Balmuchu bashers on prowl for his removal

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi Thursday, July 9, 2009

Day breaks with new challenges for the State Congress president Pradeep Balmuchu who is locked in battles with his adversaries in the party. Successive political developments in the past couple of days in New Delhi and Jharkhand have made his position shakier and a fresh threat lurked over his continuation as the PCC president.

Only on Tuesday night in New Delhi he was cautioned by Ahmed Patel; the political advisor of the AICC president Sonia Gandhi; for unsatisfactory discharge of duty as state PCC chief, the well-placed sources in the Congress confided.

He was reprimanded for his advocacy to form ‘a popular government’ in Jharkhand with the help of the JMM and odd number of independent MLAs who were also the ministers in the UPA led government. A good number of them have been facing corruption charges in the vigilance court in Jharkhand.

On the same day the former Congress MP Rameswar Oraon dropped a missive to Sonia Gandhi questioning the move of the some of the leaders of the state Congress to form government in Jharkhand. He termed it, “would further damage the image of the party.”

Oraon did not mention Balmuchu, as such, but a source close to him said that the line actually referred Balmuchu and Oraon as the claimant of PCC president is leading one of the factions of the state Congress which is keen for the removal of Balmuchu.

Balmuchu is still camping in New Delhi to convince the top Congress brasses for a government under his leadership after independent MLAs secretly pledged their support to him. Oraon has put Balmuchu in lather after he demanded a CBI inquiry against these tainted MLAs.

“Also Madam, Congress should take a stand to ask for CBI inquiry against these corrupt ex-ministers…these ministers have reportedly acquired huge asset even outside of the country,” Oraon said in his letter.

Oraon concluded his letter with a demand to dissolve the state assembly and seek a fresh mandate in the larger interest of the state and the party. Oraon who till yesterday could only be reported for his backroom maneuvering suddenly emerged on the political arena which is already crowded with claimants for the post of the party president.

The former party MP, Bagun Sumbrai who has been nourishing grudge against Balmuchu has added his voice in the favour of Oraon. On Monday Balmuchu bashers reassembled in New Delhi to ensure his ouster. Belonging to different camps of aspirants these party leaders have a common cause to espouse.

KN Jha reportedly met Sonia Gandhi and requested that a non tribal should be preferred for the post of state party president. Other leaders like Anadi Brahma, Chanchal Chatterjee, Iswarchand Pandey are also trying to impress central bosses the need for a new state PCC chief after Balmuchu over stayed to his tenure.

There are so many claimants: Subodhkant Sahai, Sushila Kerketta, KN Jha, Furkan Ansari, Rameswar Oraon etc. And one can not rule out that a political rookie of the party might startle everybody by emerging as a dark horse in this race.

Sources in the state Congress said that a fresh appointment of state party president could be made very soon. “The party high command might not like to face elections of the state assembly under the leadership Balmuchu after the party performed badly in the state in the general elections,” a senior Congress leader said.

While negotiations are still going on in New Delhi; the state Congress headquarter appeared to be a baffled house. “From the last one month ‘our president’ is busy defending himself and the central leadership is enjoying the cock-fight in Jharkhand.

Will somebody remind them the party really needed a facelift before the assembly election to fight against the NDA?”

Cong’s message to Bandhu, Bhanu: Mind your language

Ranchi, Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Vijay Deo Jha

The Congress sent an advice to the independent MLAs, Bandhu Tirkey and Bhanu Pratap Sahi, to mind their language against the party and Union Minister of Food and Processing, Subodhkant Sahai after the Government formation exercise in Jharkhand was aborted.

The Congress took the step a day after the two MLAs, pilloried Sahai for scuttling Government formation of the UPA in Jharkhand। Blaming Sahai for this, both of them said that the extension of the President’s Rule in Jharkhand was a cruel joke on Jharkhand.

“For a month, the Congress fooled us in the name of Government formation exercise. This party and its leaders had no intention to allow the installation of a popular Government,” Tirkey said.

The State Congress secretary Anadi Brahma on the other hand advised Tirkey and Sahi to refrain from such baseless allegations। “Such decisions regarding Government formation are taken by the central high command of the party after assessing the ground reality and Sahai has no role in it,” Brahma said.

The party reminded them that they remained Ministers in two successive UPA Governments and “they should not weaken the UPA combine in Jharkhand by leveling such allegations,” he said.

With this the honeymoon period of Jharkhand UPA is over but the acrimonious war of words has just begun। It is after the central leadership of the Congress put cold water over the wishes of the State UPA leaders to form Government।

The JMM has now understood the futility of such exercises after a long time। The party chief Shibu Soren wisely opted to revamp the party organization de novo; to face the electorates in the Assembly elections rather than bending further before the Congress.

But the party leaders did not hide their grudge against the Congress for creating political confusion। “Majority is on our side. But there is no hope of the Government formation, and, I admit it on record. But in the coming days the Congress will be the biggest loser. If they had no intention to form government they should have told it,” the JMM leader and former Agriculture Minister Nalin said.

The sources in the Congress said that government formation was fraught with the latent risk of further BJP backlash। “You are going to provide your enemy (BJP) a stick to beat you in the coming days। If the electorates messed the UPA in the elections in Jharkhand it means that the combine failed to deliver good governance in Jharkhand,” a senior party leader said.

The central leadership found no merit behind the logic of the State MLA that there was yet a scope left for the Congress to gain the confidence of the electorate।

Only once Sahai had told them “aise log jo Sarkar banana chahte hai unko mera door se pranam,” (Those who want to form Government, I salute them from a distance)। His words sardonically ring true today.

State BJP gets discipline dose

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi Monday, July 6, 2009

The Jharkhand BJP leaders sat like students in the class and tuned in to the stories that national organisational secretary Ramlal read out from the Hitopadesh to teach them the need for discipline and unity in the party.

These stories had an element of interest: scores of party leaders felt Ramlal had chided the party leaders through story telling without involving high ideological note. And after each story, Ramlal asked the party leaders to draw a moral lesson.

"What lesson you draw from the story of a king who announces capital punishment for those who brings the news of demise of the parrot he likes," Ramlal asked the party leaders. The leaders, insides, were quick to draw their conclusion. "I do not know the moral of the story.

I was just trying to correlate it with party affairs and in every story and character I was trying to find Raghuwar Das and Arjun Munda, the two bete noir," a young party MLA kidded. After the two-day meeting of the State BJP working committee concluded on Sunday both the warring groups, one led by State BJP president Raghuwar Das and the other by Arjun Munda, held their separate meetings to analyse the loss and benefit they derived out of this conclave, which was attended by national president of the party Rajnath Singh too.

Das appeared to be standing firm. He seemed to be relishing the sudden rise of his stature in front of Singh, and the other BJP brass stayed silent. Nevertheless, on the first day of the meeting, BJP MLA CP Singh directly hit at Das for running the party on the caste line.

But he largely failed to dim the aura that Das so carefully built around him after the party won eight out of 14 parliamentary seats in Jharkhand. When it came to deliver his presidential address, Singh talked tough about the party discipline and warned the leaders with stern actions for failure to follow the same.

While Das camp interpreted it as a clear indication of Singh's unquestioned believe in the leadership of Das, the Munda camp largely remained reticent. The future course of the State BJP in the view of the coming Assembly election largely remained opaque.

"The reason is that Singh put a blanket over the leadership issue in the State. He gave both the groups enough room to speculate about their fair chance to grab the leadership," a senior party leader said. If there was an immediate outcome of this session, it was a clear polarisation between Munda and Das. The division was not restricted among the top brasses; the rank and file too echoed similar view. Viewing a clear division in the party on this issue, the BJP bosses do not want to give unnecessary hype to the leadership issue.

"There is no crisis of the leadership in the party and will be decided by the parliamentary board of the BJP after the election," Singh told the mediapersons. So far, the BJP has a policy to opt tribal face for the post of Chief Minister and Singh kept everybody in confusion. Leaders have gone; workers are left to muse over the political meaning of the story.