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Jockeying begins for Jharkhand CM's post

Our Correspondent in Patna

Even before the new Jharkhand state comes into existence, several names have cropped up for the post of interim chief minister.

While all major political parties want a tribal to head the first government, three names have emerged as favourites.

They are Jharkhand Mukti Morcha chief Shibu Soren, Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests Babulal Marandi and veteran Bharatiya Janata Party MP Karia Munda.

While both Soren and Marandi are Santhals, numerically the largest of the four major tribes of south Bihar, Karia is a Munda and represents the Kunti parliamentary seat near Ranchi.

Though right now there is no intra-tribe tussle for the post, it cannot be ruled out.

While the National Democratic Alliance parties, with 40 out of the 81 assembly constituencies that will come under the new state, are confident of forming the government, the Rashtriya Janata Dal-Congress combine, with 22 MLAs, is leaving no stone unturned to sabotage their plan.

The RJD is trying to project Soren as chief minister. With the help of the RJD-Congress combine, the Left and independents (nine), and JMM (12 MLAs), Soren will be able to muster the support of 41 MLAs, just enough to form the government.

In the NDA, the BJP has 32 MLAs while the Samata has five and the Janata Dal United three. And since the JMM supported the short-lived Nitish Kumar government in Patna in March, the NDA is hopeful of its support again.

But analysts say the situation has changed since March. Soren threw his lot in with the NDA because of the RJD's anti-Jharkhand stand. But now that the new state has become a reality, he cannot risk siding with the BJP-led NDA, which is competing for the same vote bank as the JMM.

The BJP itself has two major contenders for the post. While old warhorse and six-time parliamentarian Munda has the backing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh because of his association with the organisation, the chances of the young Marandi cannot be ruled out.

Marandi has the reputation of being a giant-killer. He defeated Soren in the 1998 Lok Sabha election and was rewarded with a berth in the Union ministry.

But Munda is arguably the BJP's most seasoned tribal leader from south Bihar. He also has a reputation for being an upright man who always stood by the party, but was never suitably rewarded.

What may go against him is that he is not a Santhal, unlike Soren or Marandi.

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