Political uncertainty has gripped Jharkhand once again following a fractured mandate in the just concluded Assembly elections. As no political party or alliance is in a position to form the government, they are exploring the possibilities of a suitable or workable alliance to stake the claim for government formation. But it does not seem to be an easy exercise and it may take time for the opponents till the other day to come together.
The Congress with its new ally-JVM having bagged the maximum number of seats — 25 — in the 81-member House has been persuading its old pal Shibu Soren to come together with his 18 MLAs to form a secular and stable government.
Though the Congress has still not announced the name of its chief ministerial candidate, in all likelihood it is going to be the JVM chief and the new ally of Congress, Babulal Marandi, whose party has won 11 seats. But Shibu Soren and his party JMM are adamant on their demand of Chief Minister’s post. The JMM is not ready to accept anything less than the top post in the next government.
Having realised their potential in the present scenario (hung Assembly), the JMM and its patriarch Shibu Soren alias Guruji appear to have become quite arrogant. After a lot of persuasion, Shibu Soren spoke to the media at his house this morning to say that he had played the role of kingmaker all this while and now he would like to be the king. Boasting of his 18 MLAs, he also claimed to have the master key of the door lock that opens the gate for the next government.
In reply to a question about JVM chief Babulal Marandi’s objection to his demand of Chief Minister’s post as a pre-condition for any talks on government formation, Guruji bluntly said that it was
Marandi’s problem and his ally-Congress should deal with it. It was learnt from the political circles that Ahmed Patel, political advisor to AICC president Sonia Gandhi, spoke to Shibu Soren telephonically but the talks did not make him budge an inch from his stand.
Union Minister and senior Congress leader from Jharkhand Subodh Kant Sahay also tried to reason it out with Soren through the media that Congress being the senior partner with many more MLAs than the JMM should naturally have its Chief Minister.
Calling him a senior statesman of Jharkhand, he urged the JMM chief to come down to the negotiating table and help form a secular government in the state. Apparently agitated over the stubborn attitude of Soren, the JVM chief and former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi went on to announce that the Congress alliance could form the government even without Shibu Soren. Marandi told the media that he was in touch with many of the newly elected MLAs for the purpose. He said they would soon meet the Governor and stake their claim to form the government.
The BJP and JD(U) with their 20 MLAs are waiting in the wings for the JMM to come to them seeking their support for forming the next government. But even after coming together, the BJP and JMM would not have the required number of 41 to stake their claim for the new government. They would require at least three more Independent MLAs or the support of AJSU having five MLAs.
Former CM and senior BJP leader Arjun Munda said his party was not going to initiate any talks with the JMM. “Having lost the mandate, the BJP would prefer to sit in opposition,” Munda said. However, if the JMM and others approach them (BJP) to form a non-Congress government in the state, is party would explore the possibilities. But the final decision would be taken by the top leadership of BJP at New Delhi on this issue, Munda clarified.
Meanwhile, the Congress appears hopeful about the JMM to climb down from its stand and negotiate a deal in view of the internal dissention in the party on the issue of joining hands with the BJP. At least five MLAs in the JMM are from the minority community — Christians (3) and Muslims (2). They would never ever agree to have an alliance with the BJP, said the insiders in Congress party.
