ELECTION 99
US EDITION
COLUMNISTS
DIARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ELECTIONS
ARCHIVES

Search Rediff

JMM's moment of truth

In defiance of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha chief Shibu Soren, who has declared a meeting called in Ranchi today by suspended party vice-president Suraj Mandal as ''illegal and unconstitutional'', supporters of the latter have decided to go ahead with their apparent show of strength.

Mandal and his supporters, challenging Soren's authority to suspend the former for six years from the party ''without taking into confidence the central committee'', have called for a joint meeting of the Morcha's central and the executive committees this afternoon.

Though Soren has threatened disciplinary action against those attending it, a considerable number of activists have announced that they would participate in the meeting.

Mandal has claimed support of at least 110 of the 201 members of the central committee. Today's meeting would decide whether the JMM remains united under Soren's leadership or a section led by Mandal declares itself ''the real JMM'' and announces expulsion of Soren from the party for six years. This section has reportedly set the withdrawal of Mandal's suspension by Soren at today's meeting as a precondition for remaining united under Soren's leadership.

Mandal's supporters seemed to be in no mood for a compromise. They have gone on record declaring Soren ''a traitor and a tool'' of the Bharatiya Janata Party which was conspiring to break the age-old movement for a separate state of Jharkhand.

Although a last-minute effort was made by some Morcha leaders to keep their house intact and bring together the two leaders, the tone of the allegations and counter-allegations by supporters of the two warring leaders forecloses this option. The supporters of Mandal are also planning to move the Election Commission for recognition as ''the real JMM'' and allotment of the bow and arrow symbol which was allotted by the commission to the JMM in Bihar.

UNI

Tell us what you think of this report