Defeated UPA warriors in ticket fray for RS poll

Vijay Deo Jha Ashis Sinha Ranchi Bokaro Friday, June 5, 2009

In this race for tickets for the Rajya Sabha elections; both the Congress and the JMM share similar feature: defeated warriors trying to enter into Parliament through this safe alley.

The three former Congress MPs — Sushila Kerketta, Dhiraj Kuamr Sahu and Furkan Ansari—one who was denied ticket in parliamentary elections and another who lost it marginally; seemingly joined ticket race for RS elections in Jharkhand.

The two other lost faces in the JMM—Hemlal Murmu and Teklal Mahto—are quite keen about their candidature. Hemant Soren the tyounger son of the JMM chief is also in the fray and it is well expected that he will get the party nomination for the same.

About the Congress sources in central Congress confided about the meeting of state president Pradeep Balmuchu with Oscar Fernandis and Ahmed Patel in News Delhi on Thursday morning where they discussed probable party candidates for elections.

“Initially the party will discuss a panel of names of the candidates for two seats and it will be decided later on should the party accommodate the aspiration of the JMM,” a Congress man said The JMM on the other hand will discuss the name of the prospective party candidate on June 7.

The chief whip of the JMM; Mathura Mahto said this during a press conference on Thursday in Bokaro. “The JMM will stake claim of at least one of two Rajya Sabha seats which fell vacant after two upper house members were elected to Lok Sabha. He said: “Talks will be initiated with the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) partners over the election”.

The strategy will be given a final shape on June 10 during the central working committee meeting of the party. Mahto had another pet subject harp to harp on: government formation which he said would be discussed that also. Can such exercise of government formation is feasible in Jharkhand? Within the party a good number of party men doubted Mathura’s claim but they admitted a fresh rumbling among the top party leaders to get party nomination for RS ticket.“Contender number one is Hemlal Mrmu who will be chased by Teklal Mahto…but there are a good number of aspirants and dark horses in the party; see this will be an interesting game,” a party insider said.

But the final decision rests upon the JMM chief Shibu Soren. Murmu who lost from Rajmahal parliamentary constituency is vying for the party ticket. A close confidant of Murmu hoped: “Owing to his seniority and closeness with Shibu Soren he will undoubtedly get party ticket.” Backed by strong Mahto lobby in the JMM Teklal will have a pitched battle with Murmu.

Shift to the Congress house where Kerketta would reasonably demand the party high command to be sympathetic to her. Kerketta who was a sitting MP from Khunti was denied ticket under the pressure of Balmuchu camp. “She is a woman, she was denied ticket and there is a strong lobby in the party that will support her case,” a senior Congress man said.

The state BJP leaders who till yesterday bore elation on their face now fear they might not be able to win any of the seats. Not the numerical strength of the UPA but decision of the Election Commission of India has brought dismay for them. They strongly protest the move of the Election Commission of India to conduct the elections of two seats in two different phases.

A delegation of the BJP leader also met the Chief Election Commissioner Navin Chawla and demanded the elections of both of the seats at the same time. The assault, consequently, never looked formidable enough. The commission decided to conduct elections of both the seats with two separate ballots.

“Till yesterday, the NDA accused the UPA for turning Jharkhand into a political laboratory…now it is the turn of the ECI to go UPA way and do another experiment on Jharkhand,” a BJP leader bemoaned. “What we can do when if the ECI has taken such a decision; the BJP will fight the election; what else,” state BJP president Raghuwar Das said this.

His combative tone was quite missing. “It is an acceptance of defeat in advance,” this acceptance could so easily have belonged to a BJPman.

BJP gasps in number games for RS election

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi Tuesday, June 2, 2009

A delegation of the BJP met Chief Election Commissioner (CEO) Navin Chawla in New Delhi on Monday and demanded him to conduct elections of two vacant seats of Rajya Sabha in Jharkhand against proposed one.

Two seats of Rajya Sabha in Jharkhand became vacant following the victory of the former JD (U) MP Digvijay Singh and Yaswant Sinha from Banka (Bihar) and Hazaribagh parliamentary constituencies respectively.

Speaking over telephone from New Delhi the BJP national vice president Yaswant Sinha who headed the delegation said that they impressed upon CEO not to conduct elections of both of the seats in two different phases.

“It will send a wrong signal that the Commission was doing this to favour a party. There is no logic behind conducting elections of two seats on two different dates if both fell vacant at the same time,” Sinha said.

What transpired in their meeting Sinha said that Chawla assured to take note of their demand. What could be the next course of action of the party if the Commission goes ahead with its plan to conduct election of only one seat, Sinha said, “The BJP will decide the later on.” But well-placed sources in the party said that the party might approach the Supreme Court against the decision.

According to information, notification for the election will be issued on Wednesday. Along with Sinha the state BJP president Raghuwar Das, RS MP SS Ahluwaliya, MP Dhanbad PN Singh, former RS MP Ajay Maru and R. Ramkrishna were in the delegation.

Owing to the reduced strength of the BJP in the assembly it will be difficult for the NDA combine to retain both of the seats. While three of its MLAs were elected in the parliamentary elections another two MLAs resigned previously. Thus, the BJP has the total strength of 24 including suspended MLA Manohar Tekriwal.

If the total strength of the NDA is taken together, including four MLAs of the JD(U), it is 28. NDA might increase its tally by two if AJSU extends its support to the NDA candidate. But the number is not sufficient to sail trough.

To win a seat both the UPA and the NDA allies require 37 votes in a House whose total number has reduced from 81 to 73. The UPA is in comfortable position this time. The UPA combine has 26 MLAs; nine of the Congress and 17 of the JMM. In the number game if UPA manages to persuade its old ally; RJD which has seven MLAs than its total strength will be 33.

The UPA will still require another four votes. Here in number game lays the importance of smaller parties and independent MLAs who will hold the key. Smaller parties like Forward Block, Jharkhand Party and UGDP have two members each in the house. If not sure about Jharkhand Party of Ainosh Ekka than the Congress is quite confident of getting support of these two smaller parties. “Independent MLAs and smaller parties will remain with the UPA and you can predict our victory, please you do it,” a senior Congress leader told confidently.

For the BJP number game is not in its favour. The JD(U), its ally openly questioned the role of the BJP in the defeat of the NDA in the country, and, that of the JD(U) in Jharkhand. The JD(U) might not haggle with the BJP to claim its share only because there are fewer prospects to win.

But, then the BJP is probably hoping for some unexpected turn or a magic to save its seat in an assembly where seemingly impossible things happen, quite unpredictable.

BJP smells rat as only one RS seat goes to poll on June 20

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi June 02

The election for one Rajya Sabha seat in Jharkhand would be held on June 20 with declaration of the result the same day. But the decision of the Election Commission to conduct election of only one seat has surprised the State BJP. The party might explore legal options too.A delegation of BJP leaders will meet the Chief Election Commissioner; Navin Chawla on Monday to express their concern. The delegation will consist of Yaswant Sinha, State BJP president Raghuwar Das, Karia Munda, Arjun Munda and PN Singh.Sources in the State election department informed that a notification in this regard will be issued on June 3 and nominations for the same can be filed till June 10 which will be scrutinised the next day. The Commission had issued a Press note on May 27 but it remained silent about when to conduct the election of another seat.Two seats of Rajya Sabha in Jharkhand became vacant following the victory of Digvijay Singh and Yaswant Sinha from Banka (Bihar) and Hazaribagh parliamentary constituencies, respectively.Speaking over telephone Sinha said: “Only the commission can explain the logic behind conducting elections of two vacant seats on two different dates.”

The moment a Rajya Sabha member is elected in parliamentary election; his/her membership of Rajya Sabha is automatically terminated, Sinha informed.Nevertheless, an official of the State election department said it was necessary for a RS member to submit resignation following his/her election in parliamentary election.

In the case of Digvijay Singh, he had submitted his resigantion from his Rajya Sabha seat before filing his nomination as an independent from Banka.The BJP termed it a deliberate attempt of the Commission to help the Congress win both the seats. “It will be, however, difficult for the Congress to win both the seats if elections for both the seats are conducted the same day,” a senior BJP leader said.Sinha also termed the election politically unethical and morally wrong. The Congress has deliberately kept the Assembly under suspended animation to extract political mileage like managing RS seats, he said.

Sinha further raised objection over the fairness of such elections when five of the MLAs of the Assembly have been elected in parliamentary elections and other three seats are vacant.

Will outsider take on Jharkhand RS mantle again?

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi Monday, June 1, 2009

The thought of their party high commands again imposing an outsider and political refugee upon them to fill up two vacancies in the Raya Sabha from Jharkhand is troubling the leaders of the State Congress and the BJP.

Nevertheless, State heavyweights of the UPA who lost elections are trying their best to enter into Parliament once more by getting nomination for the Rajya Sabha. Furkan Ansari, Dhiraj Kuamr Sahu of the Congress and Hemlal Murmu of the JMM are nourishing ambitions to recoup the loss they suffered in the Lok Sabha poll.

However, their clamour may turn to whisper when the decision of their party high command comes in favour of such candidates who have no relation with Jharkhand. "We have not decided the name of the party candidates for RS election. I will soon go to Delhi and request the party high command, Soniaji, to give preference to local faces in filling the two seats," State Congress president Pradeep Balmuchu insisted.

The BJP leaders have not discussed about party candidate for the nomination. "See what happens. Such things are decided by the election committee of the party. It is too early to guess or predict," State BJP spokesperson Sanjay Seth informed monosyllabically. A good number of party leaders admit in their private discourses that such MPs seldom become an asset for the party.

"Burden is a good word," quipped a BJP leader, "because they get their nomination from New Delhi they never come to Jharkhand; never mingle with people or party worker."

Take a look at the number of Rajya Sabha MPs from Jharkhand and the reason for their anxiety will be known. Out of six, four MPS are outsiders, including two MPs ---Yaswant Sinha and Digvijay Singh --- who got elected to Lok Sabha.

BJP MP SS Ahluwalia, a Sikh born and brought up in Asansol, is married to a Bengali and speaks Bengali fluently but never had any role in Bengal politics. He was accommodated in Jharkhand.

When was he seen last time in Ranchi? "It was February 28, this year, when he came along with BJP leader Sushma Swaraj," another senior party leader said in a defensive note. How many questions has he raised about Jharkhand and how much fund could ensure for the developmental projects? "I do not know," exclaimed the same leader.

Nevertheless the website of the Rajya Sabha says that he has raised good number of questions in the Upper House about Jharkhand. Similarly, Congress MP Mabelo Rebello of Goan descent born in Udupi and close to the Goan border with Karnataka, has no connections, even remote, with Jharkhand and its soil. She has been quite shy of asking Jharkhand-centric question in the House.

She is an articulate, seasoned and spirited parliamentarian. When was she seen in Jharkhand? "Last year she had come for a few days…after that we do not know," said a Congress leader. They are obviously assets to their respective parties but do not have any mass base to fall back on election to the Lok Sabha.

JD(U) MP Digvijay Singh on the other hand concentrated more upon his home State Bihar. The BJP, however, corrected this anomaly in the last year RS elections by fielding Jayaprakash Singh, a leader of the State unit of the party. The Congress had no nominee but the party made its choice known for its New Delhi based leader RK Anand, who contested as an independent and lost.

The result of the RS election held last year sprang no surprise. An unknown face, but a business tycoon of Reliance Industries; Parimal Nathwani managed to win as an independent. Those who till yesterday never gave their lungs a rest calling themselves champion of the State had no qualm to vote for him. The JMM was the most.

Nevertheless, Nathwani often tries to make his presence felt through customary Press communiqué and an odd number of development projects for the State capital. His public relation officer, Iqubal Saba maintains that unlike others Nathwani was serious about bringing a change.

Political parties themselves can scarcely be absolved of their responsibility for the failure to groom people who tower over others. If they don't, outsiders will continue to represent the State in national politics. Political refugees, pigeons will again look for a platform in Jharkhand.

RK Anand stumbles on media queries

Angery for being exposed Pix by Mukesh Bhatt

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi Monday, June 29, 2009

Jharkhand Olympic Association's president RK Anand's momentary lapse of cool during a media briefing on Sunday afternoon made jarring contrast with a lawyer whose arguments are being lauded even by critics as deft: heads-I-win-tails-you-lose act.

Pressed to answer pinching questions about the alleged irregularities in the functioning of the JOA in conducting the 34th National Games and the spate of media reports in the last couple of months about the involvements of its officials in laundering public money, Anand was barely able to defend his clients, S.M. Hashmi and Madhukar Pathak, the secretary and treasurer of JOA respectively.

However, he rather remained agitated during the Press conference and occasionally kicked the State media for maligning the good name of Jharkhand and JOA by its imprecision and biased reporting. Anand initially lauded the media and said, "Jharkhand was selected as the venue of the National Games due to the support of the State media." But the lawyer took a wrong plea when he pilloried the State media for creating a mess.

The visit of Anand drew much significance after an FIR was filed against Hashmi and Pathak in Ranchi, alleging the duo for misappropriating funds of the JOA, on Saturday.

And, Anand himself admitted that he was forced to intervene in this matter and give the media a correct briefing of all these things media had called: the Press conference to douse the fire after several other members of the JOA and sports personalities of the State raised finger at them. There was a time when Anand admitted the need to correct the functioning of the JOA.

Reacting vehemently, Anand quickly gave the bona-fide certificates to his office-bearers and shifted their alleged load of sin on those who were trying to terrorise Hashmi and Pathak to get a control over the JOA. "I can tell you 101 things about the FIR. This is a case of fabrication of documents and situation," Anand assailed, but chose not to react whether he would prefer an impartial inquiry of these allegations.

"If there is a misappropriation of the government fund as alleged, it is up for the State Government to institute inquiry. Some others are doing this job with a vested interest," Anand dismissed the enormity of the case. If Anand had this untenable plea it hardly covered the gray area of the functioning of the JOA where transparency never exits even in token.

Anand had a tough time answering the media which wanted to know how come the Indian Olympic Association and Jharkhand Olympic Association allowed a group of people having no connection with sport to occupy more than six and seven posts in different sports association that has been associated with JOA.

"There is no bar in the constitution of the IOA that could prevent a person from occupying such posts," Anand told in a convincing tone and cited the example of Jammu & Kashmir.

Anand had done his homework well but the media caught him unprepared where his eloquence shabbily failed. The general election of the JOA will be held on July 2 at Maithan, Dhanbad, and Anand is sure to contest it. Questions have been raised over his decision on the ground of his conviction in BMW case in Delhi. "Under People's Representation Act there is no bar on me to contest election; my case does not fall in that category where a person is barred from contesting elections," Anand claimed. He cited the example of Kalyan Singh; he quoted the case of the former Prime Minister Narsimha Rao and many other who were convicted but fought the election.

"When you will speak in the legal term I will answer legally, it is quite obvious," Anand retorted, but forgot to make a distinction between the 'play and the politics.' There are many who raised objection over the venue of the election.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a member of the JOA did not rule out the possibility of the use of the dirty department to win the election. "It will be known that day but we are yet not provided with the electoral roll for the election which itself a matter of concern," a member of the JOA said.

Whether Anand in his effort to refurbish the image of the JOA got success or not but he will probably be able to turn to the IOA and say he doled the right message out and things are under control and games can be conducted in the month of November. The date will not fail this time, he pledged.

Hashmi, Pathak in trouble after Rai files complaint of funds laundering

Untold story of the National Games unfold through FIR

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi Sunday, June 28, 2009

An FIR was lodged by Bamshankar Prasad Rai of Dhanbad district Badminton Association against the secretary and the treasurer of Jharkhand Olympic Association (JOA) SM Hashmi and Madhukant Pathak on Saturday for alleged misappropriation of money meant for the holding the 34th National Games in Jharkhand.

Rai who initially lodged this complaint with the IG of Ranchi division was registered by the Lalpur police station under section 406,409,467,468,471 and 120 of the Indian Penal Code. The IG referred this matter to the city SP through the letter no 265/dated June 26, 2009 for investigation. Rai also submitted a voluminous document that he procured from the State Sports Department under Right to Information Act.

In his complain Rai has alleged that both the officials of JOA embezzled funds in the name of conducting the general meeting of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) in Jharkhand. While in its expenditure report of the year 2005-06 and 2006-07 JOA is claimed to have spent Rs 11.30 and 11.80 lakhs respectively over the two general meeting of the Indian Olympic Association in Jharkhand.But it is to be seen that the meeting of the IOA was held only once in Jharkhand against the claimed two, Rai claimed.

Leveling charges against them Rai in his FIR has said that the duo even concealed Rs 5 lakhs and 3.70 lakhs respectively the amount that JOA received from the State Government as subsidiary grant during the financial year 2002-03 and 2003-04.

Both Rai and Pathak even mislead other members of the JOA over the auditing of the accounts of the association. Quoting the FIR; in the general meeting of the JOA held on April 30, 2005 in Bokaro they had said that the accounts of the JOA for the year 2004-05 could not be audited due to the non-appointment of an auditor.

Rai who had filed an RTI to get the status report submitted documents to show that JOA had completed the auditing of the accounts just two days back. The JOA was constituted on June 17, 2001 but so far it has not been registered under Society Act 1860 which was termed as a calculated design of the duo to siphon off Government's money.

Requesting proper investigation of the matter Rai said that it would expose a big time scam which has going on in Jharkhand on the name of conducting national games.It is up to the police to unearth truth but it is seen as an extension of on going media war among some of the members of JOA who without quoting the name of the duo had accused them off irregularities at a press conference some few days back.

Pathak who termed the allegations wrong had held a press conference on Friday and held his detractors as a bunch of people who were misleading the media and the public at large just because of their vested interests. "If at all the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducts an inquiry it should not be limited to the tenders and purchases made by the JOA. The inquiry should be conducted from the very beginning when Jharkhand decided as the venue of the National Games. Can anybody justify the reasons why the budget of organising the games soared to Rs. 277 Crore in April 2007 from Rs 206 Crore in February 2005?" Pathak says.

Central leadership puts on hold Govt formation exercise

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi Friday, June 26, 2009

The UPA MLAs returned home with long faces. They were anxious to form a Government in Jharkhand, but their dream was rudely smashed by the central leadership of the Congress who put a temporary halt over any such move.

Some of them—the JMM legislators—moved to Ajmer Sarif to seek the blessing of the divine for the prosperity of the State as they claimed. The UPA leaders added their voice together in their meeting with the State Congress in-charge K Keshav Rao to allow formation of a popular Government in Jharkhand.

After hearing their pleas patiently for about half an hour on Monday, Rao flew to Brazil without making any promise. The Congress high command holds a different mood altogether. But, Rao prudently did not black out their dream to form a Government, sources said.

On their arrival here they did not mix with the media instantly nor did the photojournalists, often looking for a good pose, requested them to flash victory signs, as usual. But anxiety on their face read like a political script of the coming days of Jharkhand politics.

Claiming the chances to form Government was bright and they have done the initial homework in their meeting with the Congress leaders these MLAs believed the matter will be resolved in the coming 10 days. If Stephen Marandi claims the Government will be formed by June 28-29, his one time Cabinet colleague Sudhir Mahto adds no colour to this dream. “The Congress seems to be evasive. But we will sit again to finally decide this matter,” Mahto said while exhaustion reeked from the air around him.

On their homecoming the State BJP added its reaction with a pinch of salt. “Laut ke buddhu ghar ko aye,” (fool have returned home) the State BJP president Raghuwar Das quipped. “Instead of cringing before the UPA leaders they should sit together for introspection for the mess they have done with Jharkhand,” Das said.

Unmindful of what BJP says; Niel Tirkey the Congress MLA and chief points man of the party state president Pradeep Balmuchu was busy collecting signatures of the UPA MLAs that will be presented to the Congress high command to claim the majority was on their side.

“So far 32 MLAs have signed for their support. From the side of the state RJD barring Annapurna Devi and Girinath Singh the remaining five MLAs too have added their support,” Tirkey said.

According to Tirkey, the State Congress has been cautiously treading in proverbial way. “Doodh Ka jala chhach bhi fook fook kar pita hai,” (once bitten twice shy). Even independent MLAs have extended their support without any pre-condition. Everybody is experimenting in Jharkhand. Let us do one more for betterment of the State,” Tirkey explained the realpolitik behind the whole exercise.

In New Delhi Balmuchu was reported to be busy in lobbying in the power corridor to support his claim for the chief ministership. On Monday night he met the senior Congress leader and former Rajya Sabha member from Jharkhand RK Anand, the sources in the Congress said. “If there is a remote chance of the formation of government, he (Anand) could be instrumental in securing support of the JMM MLAs in the favour of Balmuchu.

In Jharkhand Tirkey has been carrying the flag of Balmuchu claiming the party should not change its policy of a tribal as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand.Within the Congress too many conflicting voices damned this exercise.

Rain welcomes rath yatra devotees in capital

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi Thursday, June 25, 2009

Thousands of devotees participated in the Jagannathpur Rath Yatra and pulled the chariot of the divine trio of Lord Jagannath and his brother Balaram and sister Subhadra from the Main Temple to Mausibari on Wednesday afternoon. It is a symbolic travel to their aunt’s house.

Hundreds of devotees clad in dhoti took part in elaborate rituals and sat on the front of 30-feet-tall chariot and chanted mantras from Vishnulakshnacharna to invoke the divine power. As the main priest announced the auspicious moment to roll the chariot of Lord; thousands of devotees vied with each other to pull the rath to get the blessings of the divine.

The procession continued for the next one hour marked by the showering of petals of flowers, the booming drumbeats, and, off course; the thunder shower which drenched the devotees with rain.“Listen devotees; God has listened to our prayer and it is raining now like every year,” the main priest of the temple announced while sitting on the chariot. The moment it started raining, hydra like thousands of hands were raised towards the sky each acclaiming the miracle of God.

“As far as my frail memory is concerned this festival never missed spell of rain. Everybody was apprehensive this time but I always believed that God will bless us with rain,” Sumintra Devi a 95 year old devotee said.

People from different parts of the State had poured in to mark the religious occasion and the sprawling ground adjacent to the main temple in Dhurwa was dotted with the devotees. If Mundas were carrying flags; one could not miss Oraons carrying cymbals in their hand.

There was no division of caste and community and age. All became a part of that journey of the great divine. If Akthar Jamal did not know what priests were chanting in chaste Sanskrit he had an easy mantra to add into this: Jai Ho.

The fair ground sported a festive air with local tribals swaying to the beats of folk songs, accompanied by traditional instruments like the flute, mandar and the nagara. It turned into a sea of colourful dresses and umbrellas by afternoon.

The actual juggernaut—pulling the lord’s chariot by human hands—was quite colourful and full of piousness. Young, old and even children did not want to miss an occasion to join this privy league of devotees who were pulling the chariot of the gods to their aunt’s house.

Initially it seemed God refused to move. The Chariot remained in standstill for a couple of minutes despite devotees using their muscle power in attempting to drag it forward. “God is just testing our patience and devotion,” the priest Jagdish Mohanti announced. It was enough to fill the devotees with religious verve: Bhagwan Jagannath ki jai. The chariot rolled out slowly with a mild creak.

It is not the rath yatra of Puri with all its pomp and show and mysticism that attracts the foreigners. Helped by a guide Philip Kalra, Elizabeth Smith and Mirium, all of them British nationals; were the curious spectators trying to capture each Kodak moment. “I have seen rath festival of Puri also but here it is superb,” Kalra said.

As the rath reached Mausiwari priests performed rituals for half an hour. But somewhere religiosity took a back seat. If old women jostled to get darshnam of the Lord, for some of the young ladies of the same family it was a picnic moment. Getting a design of mehendi on their hand and some bargained for trinkets and wares from the hundreds of stalls that had been set up.Innocent wide-eyed children rushed for the joyrides but youngsters thronged at cold drink stalls in an attempt to beat the heat. A couple of others had a good cheer with their friends with glasses of rice beer.

UPA MLAs wait for nod to form Govt

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi Tuesday, June 23, 2009

In a rare show of unity, the MLAs of Jharkhand UPA and independents, reached New Delhi on Monday to urge top Congress leaders to pave way for the formation of government in the State.

However, AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi does not seem to be in this favour.The State UPA leaders have taken the Rajya Sabha election results as an indication of UPA's unity and a mandate to form Government in the State.

Rahul Gandhi finds no immediate benefit in this exercise. "He is more focused upon the organisational overhauling of Jharkhand Congress rather than forming a Government with such shaky arguments," a senior party leader told on telephone from New Delhi.

The central high command of the UPA has asked Jharkhand Congress president Pradeep Balmuchu to present a roadmap of how forming an alliance Government in Jharkhand would help the party in the forthcoming Assembly elections. While two of the front runners for the post of Chief Minister —Balmuchu and Assembly Speaker Alamgir Alam — have been camping in New Delhi, the UPA legislators moved to New Delhi on Monday to push for the same.

The newly elected Rajya Sabha MPs from Jharkhand — Hemant Soren of the JMM and Dhiraj Kumar Sahu of the Congress — reached New Delhi on Monday. Before leaving for New Delhi, Soren made a courtesy visit to Governor Syed Sibtey Razi.Talking to the media, Soren expressed hope that the Government will soon be formed in the State and both the Congress and JMM leaders will resolve the leadership issue.

But the resolution passed by the working committee of the State RJD demanding Assembly election has created a tantalising obstacle for the same. So far, the UPA MLAs could not meet any of the central Congress leaders, including Ahmed Patel, the political advisor to Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

Meanwhile, Rao is also expected to go Brazil this month and the MLAs camping here will hardly find their audience on an urgent basis. "We are trying to break the ice. It will take at least 10 days to reach the final conclusion whether to form Government or not," a Congress MLA camping in New Delhi told The Pioneer.

Everybody in the UPA is eagerly waiting for Sonia Gandhi to return from her foreign trip within two days to deliberate on the vexed issue.

UPA considers RS poll win as mandate to form State Govt

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi Monday, June 22, 2009

The UPA allies in the Jharkhand, which has been put under the President’s rule, had a last laugh after the results of the Rajya Sabha elections came out.

It has tempted them to interpret it as a mandate to form Government.With this robust logic the leaders of the State Congress, the JMM and independent MLAs rushed to the New Delhi, on Sunday, to convince the UPA chairperson—Sonia Gandhi—to allow the formation of the State Government.

“There seems to be a positive signal from the party high command and the chances to form the Government have become brighter, I think,” Congress legislator Sukhdeo Bhagat said gleefully. The JMM which till a week back made several assertions as the sole claimant for the post of the chief ministership laid down its claim even without a pout. “Kaun banega mukhya Mantri ye mundda nahi hai. ‘Janhit (people welfare) ke liye ek sarkar honi chahiye, hum log is ka prayatna kar rahe hai,” Mathura Mahto the chief whip of the party termed this essential for Jan-hit.

But Mahto could not answer that how come the JMM relinquished its claim over the CM post and why the party chief; Shibu Soren; accepted tutelage under the Congress. Soren held a close door meeting with few of the party legislators at his residence this afternoon.

The well-placed sources in the party said that Soren discussed the role and claim of his party if the government was formed in Jharkhand. “He is still undecided and unsure about the role of the JMM and the political space that the party will gain at a time when a Government will be formed in Jharkhand,” a senior party leader said wryly.

Even in the meeting a section of the leaders insisted the party should not dump its claim so easily if the Congress has come so openly to claim for the post of the Chief Minister. But there is something rotting in the JMM and the party insiders confirmed the foul smell in the close confine. There are so many heads in the JMM who want to wear the crown—Sudhir Mahto, Champai Soren, Nalin Soren, Dulal Bhuiya and many others.Now, Shibu Soren is not the contender for that post after the resigned from Jamatra Assembly constituency.

But Soren will hardly like that some body within the JMM should come out of the political kindergarten to become the chief minister and grow to his stature. Even if the JMM insists for its nominee; disgruntlement will tumble out quickly. Writ of Shibu Soren no longer runs so authentically, now, in the JMM, to control such political pandemics.

The Congress mandarins derived the best part of their strategy from the internal weakness of the JMM. Last time also the JMM fold could stand united over the name of Champai Soren for the post of the CM after Shibu Soren resigned from this post in the month of January. The Congress after exhausting the endurance of Shibu Soren and his party MLAs has now starting moving to install its own man as the head of the Government.

Within the Congress the state party president Pradeep Balmuchu and the Assembly speaker Alamgir Alam have started canvassing for the support of their candidature among the central leadership of the Congress.Sources close to Alam claimed that their leader will have the support of the political advisor of Sonia Gandhi.

More or less seven RJD legislators will also lend their support to Alam. Balmuchu will counter-balance it with the support of the independent MLAs. Both the claimants moved to New Delhi to initiate the process of the formation of the State Government.

For many a JMM MLAs a new government will provide a life line to their politics in the coming days. The JMM happily provided turf to the Congress and promised it will not complain.

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.