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Race for Jharkhand CM’s post hots up in BJP
Faraz Ahmad
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 10
Even before the BJP could persuade Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren to step down for its nominee, contenders in the BJP have started openly staking claim to lead the next government in Ranchi.

A contingent of 14 BJP MLAs (the party has only 18 in the state) virtually stormed the parliamentary board meeting here today and forced the party to withhold its decision on chief ministerial candidate.

The MLAs led by Jharkhand assembly Speaker CP Singh were openly rooting for Singh. But Singh cannot be considered, simply because “We won’t risk losing the Speaker’s chair,” said a BJP leader.

“Sensing the agitated state of MLAs, the board decided to send former president Rajnath Singh and general secretary Ananth Kumar as observers, to speak to each MLA individually, and report back the majority sentiment to party president Nitin Gadkari, leaving the next course of action to him,” sources said.

Three contenders for Jharkhand Chief Minister’s post in the BJP include present Deputy Chief Minister in Shibu Soren’s cabinet Raghubar Das, Hazaribagh MP Yashwant Sinha and former Chief Minister Arjun Munda.

Raghubar Das drew solace from the fact that there was a strong case for a non-tribal Chief Minister in the event of both Deputy Chief Ministers in the next dispensation, Sudesh Mahto (AJSU) and Hemant Soren (JMM), likely to be tribals and therefore by implication Munda, being a tribal, stands automatically eliminated.

But MLAs’ pressure has made the party high command rethink and some leaders admitted, “Munda has a good following and the best course is to talk to each MLA individually”.

“The BJP Parliamentary Board has appointed Rajnath Singh and me as central observers. We will meet BJP MLAs in Ranchi tomorrow to discuss the issue. Then we will apprise party president Nitin Gadkari of their views. An announcement will be made after that,” Ananth Kumar said.

Meanwhile, party sources disclosed that in the next set-up, the JMM will get one more ministerial berth (five in all) and the post of Deputy Speaker. The BJP will get the Chief Minister’s post and three other ministries, plus the Speaker’s post.