Munda quits party post

Munda quits party post

VIJAY DEO JHA & RADHIKA RAMASESHAN

Arjun Munda Ranchi/Delhi, March 9: Former chief minister Arjun Munda has resigned as BJP legislature party leader, apparently miffed at not being considered for the job of heading the state unit in Jharkhand that is likely to see Assembly elections by the end of the year. In a one-line resignation letter sent to party president Rajnath Singh today, Munda is learnt to have said that he could “work conscientiously” for the party without “holding a formal position.” Singh welcomed the move. “Who gives up a post these days? It is a good gesture from Munda,” the BJP chief, who had played a key role in anointing Munda as chief minister, told The Telegraph in Delhi. According to sources, the BJP central leadership’s understanding was that the former Jharkhand chief minister had quit in pique after he realised he would not be asked to head the state party outfit. Apparently, Munda made it clear to the leadership that if it was disinclined towards him, the “next best choice” would be Ravinder Rai. Sources indicated that there was a toss-up between Rai and Raghuvar Das, with an “edge” to Rai. In Ranchi, Munda refused to say anything beyond a measured statement on the prevailing mist surrounding the appointment of the state BJP president. “The central leadership of the party is handling the matter,” he told The Telegraph. But with his party colleagues in the state, he was more forthright in indicating his displeasure. “Ab aap log party ko jaise chalana chahen waise chalyen. Maine aaplogon ke liye rasta saaf kar diya hai (Now you people run the party the way you like. I have cleared the way for you),” he is learnt to have told a senior state BJP leader as soon as word spread about his resignation. Some influential leaders in Delhi were pitching for Munda and argued that since it was a “given” that he would lead the BJP in the next Assembly elections, he should also be entrusted with the party’s command so that dual power centres — one helmed by the Jharkhand party chief and the other by the prospective chief ministerial candidate — were not created. However, it seems that view did not prevail. Asked about Munda’s future, Rajnath said, “He said clearly he was prepared to work without holding a post.” The BJP president refused to indicate who would take over the party in Jharkhand. But Rai, an upper caste Bhumihar, was emerging as a frontrunner, although it did not mean he would be the party’s chief ministerial face. Rajnath said the name would be announced soon. The rationale behind bringing in a non-tribal was to consolidate the votes of these groups that the BJP believe were among its core supporters. Tribal votes, the party leadership feels, were split between the BJP, Congress and regional parties.

Munda resigns as party legislative leader to stop Das’ elevation as state president

Munda resigns as party legislative leader to stop Das’ elevation as state president

Ranchi; March 9

Former Chief Minister and BJP leader Arjun Munda took leaf out of political book of his Rajasthan counterpart Vasundhara Raje Sindhiya — the resignation drama — to pressurize central BJP brass to anoint him or his nominee Ravindra Rai as state president.

In a one line resignation letter sent to the central BJP president this afternoon, Munda said that he wanted to resign from the post of party legislative leader so that he “could devote time to consolidate party in Jharkhand.” Munda in his letter, wished to work for the party “without holding any post.”  

However, a senior central BJP leader closely associated with the Jharkhand affair, refused to say resignation as Munda’s a measured protest against central party bosses after they put the name of Rai on hold following protest from a section of state BJP.

“Mundaji will have natural interest in the state BJP. He is one of the stakeholders. But I believe his name is under consideration for the post of national general secretary along with Amit Saha of Gujarat. His resignation may be due to because this under one-man-one-post principle,” the leader said.

But BJP insiders claimed Munda’s resignation was a timely act of pressure tactics as this afternoon central BJP was all set to announce the name of Munda’s arch rival, Raghubar Das, as next state president. Das as state president would not only reduce Munda’s fast dwindling grip over state unit it will firmly barricade his chief ministerial ambition. Munda is in no mood to play further inning in central politics to leave the state affairs controlled by his adversaries who are now a majority flock.

Munda’s resignation, party sources said, has forced central to put the matter of appointment on hold till a compromise formula is worked out.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Munda neither contradicted nor accepted his resignation. He was not ready to speak anything beyond measured statement over prevailing mist over state BJP president appointment, the issue that developed faultline among top rank leaders.

“Ab aap log party ko jaise chalana chahen waise chalyen. Maine aaplogon ke liye rasta saaf kar diya hai, Now you people run the party the way you like. I have cleared the way for you,” Munda is learnt to have told this to a top state BJP leader as soon as report of his resignation landed in public domain.

However, party insiders termed it Munda’s measured rebellion terming it who-blink-first-show as half of the state BJP including top party seniors like LS Deputy Speaker Karia Munda, former minister Yashwant Sinha, former state BJP president Raghubar Das, Saryu Rai and a good number of party MPs from Jharkhand opposed to proposed appointment of Rai.

“I don’t know why he chose to resign from legislative leader post when the very post holds no significance as assembly is in suspended animation. Mundaji had aggressively lobbied for Rai, Bur Rai remained a no-no because of his past association with Babulal Marandi and the way he had left the party after heaping insult on party patriarchs and our ideological figures like Deen Dayal Upadhyay,” a state BJP leader said.  

The tandem of Karia-Yashwant-Das arch rival of Munda has unveiled a spoke to puncture Munda’s bid to grab driver’s seat. Some three days back when Rajnath Singh was all set to announce Ravindra Rai as state head when Karia Munda in protest threatened to resign from the post of deputy speaker. Rajnath Singh, despite having close association with Munda can’t afford to please Munda by ignoring concerns of central BJP leaders like Lal Krishna Advani, Sushma Swaraj who are have already been briefed about open protest against the name of Ravindra Rai.

Munda’s resignation has now thrown up a prospect his rivals may relish and the BJP may find a bit tough to manage.