New tribal face for state Congress

Sukhdeo Bhagat, who will replace Balmuchu Ranchi/New Delhi, May 13: The Congress today appointed Sukhdeo Bhagat (47) as the Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee (JPCC) president, amid growing clamour in favour of Rajya Sabha MP Pradeep Kumar Balmuchu who was hoping for an extension. The decision, thereby, foiled a last-ditch effort by Balmuchu, who was planning a massive tribal rally in Ranchi on May 19 — with Rahul Gandhi in attendance — to impress upon the party high command his “worthiness”. The Congress central leadership, however, was not keen to extend his tenure. With the change in guard, the rally has also been postponed. Sources close to party vice-president Rahul revealed he wanted the new state leadership to take a fresh call on the proposed tribal meet. Bhagat’s appointment became apparent on Saturday when party president Sonia Gandhi summoned him to her residence in Delhi and asked him to prepare for the big job. State Congress in-charge Shakeel Ahmed said a notification in this regard was issued in the afternoon today. “He is comparatively young and popular. We hope that he will energise the party,” he said. Soon after the announcement was made by party general secretary Janardan Dwivedi in Delhi today, Bhagat, a prominent tribal leader who belongs to the Oraon tribe, said, “We have a strong base of activists in the state. The challenge before me is to encourage them to take up people’s causes. “I will also try to work towards better co-ordination between senior party leaders and activists at the ground level.” A former Jharkhand state administrative officer who did his MPhil from Delhi University, Bhagat has been elevated to the state’s top post at a time when the support base and electoral fortunes of the faction-ridden party have taken a hit. In Jharkhand, the party is already divided in two major factions lead by two party stalwarts Balmuchu and Subodh Kant Sahay, respectively. “It will be a tightrope walk for Bhagat. He will get only six months to streamline everything as the Assembly polls are expected at the end of this year,” a Congress leader said. Bhagat, a former MLA from Lohardaga, and Sisai MLA Gitashree Oraon were the front runners for the job. But, being a rookie in politics and lesser known figure, the daughter of former Congress stalwart Kartik Oraon had make way for him. According to sources, Rahul wanted a non-controversial name from the tribal community, preferably from the Sarna faith, to reconnect the party with its tribal and non-tribal constituents. Balmuchu, who was in office for more than seven years, is a Christian belonging to the Ho tribe and apparently, there was no known face who could replace him, except Bhagat — considered to be close to the Gandhi scion. By and large, Christian tribals are still with the Congress in Jharkhand. With BJP trying to regain its hold over tribals belonging to the Sarna faith through RSS-backed organisations, Bhagat seems to be the Congress answer to the saffron party’s tactics. Followers of the Sarna faith, which, the RSS claims, is very close to Hinduism, have been seeking a distinct identity. It was their undaunted support that had helped Congress stalwarts like Bandi Oraon and Kartik Oraon to rise to fame. In fact, this was why Rahul, during his meeting with Bhagat and other senior state leaders on March 21, had suggested programmes to win back this tribal community. Bhagat, too, came to limelight in 2003, banking on the Sarna issue. Still a civil servant, he had taken on RSS leader Ashok Varshney when he had referred to the Sarnas as Vanvashis. Bhagat had objected saying the RRS was trying to “kill the distinct identity of the Sarnas”. Eventually, he joined the Congress in 2005 and won the Lohardaga seat in the Assembly elections. Though he lost the constituency in 2009, his stature and popularity in the party had constantly grown, said party insiders.

Balmuchu’s battle for survival - State Congress chief targets Shakeel Ahmed

VIJAY DEO JHA

Ranchi, May 11: The cold war between Pradeep Balmuchu and Shakeel Ahmed, two leaders central to the Congress’s fortunes in Jharkhand, has now turned into a shadow boxing match with both leaders trying to out-manoeuvre each other under the watchful eyes of Delhi. Balmuchu, in a last-ditch effort to stay on as state party chief, is banking on a tribal rally he proposes to hold in Ranchi on May 19 with Rahul Gandhi in attendance. Ahmed on the other hand is using all his powers as Delhi’s pointsman looking after party affairs in Jharkhand to convince anyone who is willing to listen that Balmuchu must go. The duo has never really seen eye to eye. But, it seems the gloves are off now. So keen is Balmuchu to have Rahul Gandhi, he has already changed the rally dates thrice — from May 4, 11 and 18 — to accommodate his schedule. He is now using his best contacts in the national capital — Union rural development minister Jairam Ramesh is among them — to ensure Rahul’s presence, but according to those who are close to the Gandhi scion, he is not going to be available for the May 19 show as well. This apart, Balmuchu is also trying his best to have Ahmed replaced as the Congress’s Jharkhand in-charge. In fact, a lobby within the state party, spearheaded by Balmuchu and Dhiraj Sahu, is pushing for Ramesh to be made the man in charge, hoping to time their campaign alongside a reshuffle of the central party administration now that Karnataka has swung back to the Congress fold. But Ahmed sounded sceptical of any change at the top now. “There may or may not be such a move now,” he said. “There may be some people who may not like my style of functioning. I am a man of the organisation. Jahan party mujhe lagayegi wahan jayenge (I will fit in wherever the party shifts me).” A Congress office-bearer also dismissed suggestions that Ahmed’s job was under threat. “It is a six months’ old move. Balmuchu wants a favourable man. Ahmed doesn’t fit into his scheme of things because he knows where the problems lie. Balmuchu never arranges any public programme for him. Ahmed is a serious worker of the party,” he explained. Last month, a group of pro-Balmuchu Congressmen in Delhi had nearly succeeded in convincing the central leadership about sending Ahmed to Bihar to counter RJD’s Lalu Prasad. But Ahmed wasn’t interested. As national spokesperson for the Congress, Ahmed holds charge of Bengal, Andman & Nikobar, besides Jharkhand. During the last two years, Ahmed has won the appreciation of the party rank and file here for his down to earth nature who is loath to promote factionalism. Balmuchu’s dislike for Ahmed is perhaps understandable. Last year, after his visit to Jharkhand, Rahul Gandhi asked him to speak to the party rank and file and furnish a report on the reasons behind the Congress’s electoral failure in Jharkhand. Ahmed’s report went against Balmuchu, and rightly so. Balmuchu wanted to form a new team last year. Ahmed put his foot down, saying that only the central party leadership could take such a call. He even opposed Balmuchcu’s move to appoint loyalists like Keshav Mahato Kamlesh, Kalipad Soren, Nita Devi and Madan Mohan Sharma as chiefs of boards/corporations after President’s Rule was imposed.

IPL fever bowls capital

- Hey, look at Gayle, Gambhir

 VIJAY DEO JHA 

Ranchi

                                                                                   courtesy The Telegraph

“Hotele ki hochchhe? Eto Bheed keno?,” Bharat Bose (70) a former bank employee, puffing bidi with tea, curiously asked the tea stall owner about hundreds peeping inside Hotel Radisson Blu this afternoon.

“Dada, IPL er bheed. Era sobai player dekhte eseche? Apni dekhte jaben na ki? (This crowd is for IPL. They have come to see players? Will you not got to watch the game?).    

Bose was quite unmoved by frenzy of cricket and the fight of purple of SRK’s ‘Kolkata Knight Rider’ with red of Vijay Mallya Royal Challenger this evening at International Cricket Stadium, Dhurwa. “Ei crickete amar interest nai, (I have no interest in this kind of cricket),” Bose seemed to have problem with 20-20 format of cricket that he said a ‘money making game’ that has taken toll over class cricket and test matches.

But, Bose remained an isolated voice as others joined the discourse occupying wooden bench of the tea stall much in the fashion of Hindu pantheons arranged in a row. “Only you are getting crazy, rest is rejoicing it. Have you seen how Chris Gayle sending every ball out of boundary? Just see people waiting to see the players. Many of us are going to watch,” a young man interrupted.  

Crowd erupted all of a sudden in front of the hotel, with deafening decibels of sloganeering much in the fashion of a the rally of the Mamta Banarjee — Gambhir, Gambhir, Gayle tu khel — as soon as players left for the stadium in the afternoon. The local police and the IMG Security Limited soon pushed them back to make way for the players.

“It is happening daily sir. Hundreds come everyday requesting us to allow them to go inside to see the players. They even offer us good bucks if we could manage their autograph what a craze for cricket sir. Very tight security sir…it will remain till Thursday till the players will leave the hotel,” a hotel security guard said. Ranchi has reasons to regale as the city will host another IPL match on Wednesday between Pune Warrior and Kolkata Knight Rider.

“Today, Gambhir will not smile on the ground he has said to the media. He will deliver his best to make the game a korbo, lorbo story. But Gel is going to bring hell upon his opponent,” Prabhu Kumar a student said. Kumar lamented he could have seen them playing on the ground if his pocket would have allowed to purchase ticket. Gambhir is leading the Kolkata Knight Rider against Virat Kohali of the Royal Challenger.

The team of Gambhir, he said, has lost eight matches out of 13 played so far and the victory tonight is quite required.

Elaborate arrangements were made by the hotel authorities for the players of three teams staying here. “Good arrangements have been made. Food is prepared according to their choice to serve them during Super Breakfast. Items prepared at the Kabab Factory in the hotel are loved by all the players,” a manager of the hotel said.

The day being Sunday, the city road bore a deserted look, shops remained closed and the Firayalal Chowk that defies silence on any day obliged the call of the day. “But you see the rush of people and traffic on the road leading to the ground. People are very passionate about cricket. We have deployed good number of traffic cops and dedicated QRT and control units,” Ranchi SP Manoj Ratan said.   

Auto rickshaws drivers found it a day fit for brisk business. “Players are earning in crore out of game, at least, we should earn a thousand. I have already hired my auto to ferry some crazy game lovers of my mohallah near to the stadium. If they can spend thousands on ticket they should give us something too,” Munilal an auto driver said.

The Dhurwa stadium witnessed a torrent of red and purple flags and the flash of cameras as the game started.

But Bose an ardent cricket lover of his time will keep you arguing such IPL teams represents private and profitable club headquartered at Mumbai and Bangalore which has nothing to do with national pride and sentiment.