Search the Internet           Tips

Marandi turns tables on JMM, RJD

Jharkhand Chief Minister Babulal Marandi on Wednesday mounted a counter attack on political arch enemies Jharkhand Mukti Morcha chief Shibu Soren and Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Laloo Prasad Yadav to woo their party legislators and strengthen his flock.

"Till yesterday, Soren and Laloo were threatening our chief minister that they would split the National Democratic Alliance and wean away our legislators. But the tables have been turned. We have launched a counter-attack on them to do what they were trying to do," admitted Praveen Prabhakar, spokesman of the All Jharkhand Students Union, which is supporting one of the chief minister's allies, the United Gomantak Democratic Party.

Prabhakar pointed out that Marandi had proved to Governor Prabhat Kumar that his NDA government had 45 legislators. However, some JMM, Congress and RJD legislators had indicated that they were willing to ''cross over to our camp if the chief minister made it worth their while''.

Prabhakar's party colleague Kamal Kishore Bhagat added that "it is poetic justice now. The hunters have become the hunted".

According to Bhagat, the state NDA leadership is not satisfied with its strength and "has kept its mind open in case legislators from the other side wished to come over."

Significantly, the chief minister and NDA leadership had a lengthy meeting to chalk out their political strategy in the light of the challenge thrown by the Soren-Laloo combine. The duo had told the NDA leaders that the two would be waiting in the wings and would replace the Marandi government at the first opportunity.

Union Defence Minister George Fernandes told reporters at the Raj Bhavan, "Laloo is a liar and Soren is scarcely better." He underscored that the Samata Party leadership or anybody from the NDA had never promised the JMM chief that he would be made chief minister as and when the state was carved out of Bihar.

According to Fernandes, an envious Laloo was trying to put a spoke in the Marandi government's wheels because the creation of Jharkhand had the potential of endangering the RJD chief's political well-being.

He contended that Jharkhand would get 65 per cent of Bihar's mineral wealth (since they were located within the new state). Besides, a large chunk of Bihar's revenue would now go to Jharkhand. These factors, along with several others, had made the RJD chief furious and this was why he was trying to provoke the NDA leadership, including Marandi, the defence minister pointed out.

According to Jharkhand BJP activist Deepak Prakash, several legislators of the JMM (Soren), Congress and RJD have set up small groups, sending alarm bells ringing in the Soren-Laloo combine.

Prakash pointed out that as indicated by these groups, they were asking the NDA leadership which portfolio they would be allotted in case they switched over.

"Why should the NDA leadership resist if legislators from rival camps want to join us for whichever or whatever consideration?" contended Prakash.

Soren and Laloo, however, kept up their defiant stance against the NDA leadership, particularly Marandi.

"Politics involves patience and we cannot be in a hurry to attain our objective. We are working towards a definite plan which we cannot divulge now," Soren told reporters.

Laloo kept up his tirade against the NDA leadership, underlining that Marandi would find it extremely difficult to live up to the "tall promises he has made to the people of Jharkhand".

While Soren's and Laloo's barbs against the NDA leadership have been made out of political pique, it is a fact that after decades of deprivation, the people of the newly-created state want positive developmental results.

"We are happy that at long last, we have got our Jharkhand state. But we wish that Marandi discontinued his political exchanges with the other camp and got down to business. Jharkhand faces many problems and we will be satisfied if we feel that the chief minister has made a good start," said advocate Bibhuti Shankar.

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report