With trends throwing up a hung Assembly in Jharkhand, Congress today said people expect its secular alliance to form a government in the state.
With the Jharkhand assembly elections producing a fractured verdict, the Congress’s political management skills will be severely tested as it attempts to put together something that resembles a government.
The task is so daunting that after wrestling through the day with various permutations and combinations, party leaders decided to sleep on it till Thursday. What’s giving the Congress confidence to let matters lie for a day is its clear position as the largest pre-poll alliance with Babulal Marandi’s Jharkhand Vikas Morcha Prajatantrik (JVMP) and the BJP’s confusion over taking a crack at government formation. “The governor will have to call us,” a senior Congress leader said.
The stumbling block to a smooth coalition is the irreconcilable political rivalry between Marandi and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha’s (JMM’s) Shibu Soren. The numbers are such that the Congress has to get both on board. Unfortunately, both want the chief minister’s post and each has hinted a readiness to open negotiations with BJP to fulfill this ambition.
The party also has to contend with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and its tough-talking leader Lalu Prasad who is looking to drive a hard bargain with the Congress for next year’s assembly polls in Bihar and possibly for a ministerial berth in the Union government in exchange for his party’s support in Jharkhand.
After its torrid experience with the JMM and the RJD in the previous government in Jharkhand, which ultimately collapsed due to internal differences, the Congress had rejected overtures from both for a pre-poll alliance. Marandi seemed a more responsible and trustworthy partner.
The results came as a shock to all. Not only did the JMM fare better than last time, despite all the controversy surrounding Soren, Lalu’s party held its ground to prove that he remains a force with which the Congress has to reckon. It’s clear where the dilemma lies.
“We have to look at all angles. If we tie up with the JMM, we may lose Marandi. Also, Soren and Lalu are so close that we will have the RJD sitting on our head,” a Congress leader said. “Let’s see how the situation plays out.”
Still, the Congress has the advantage, powered by the fact that it rules in New Delhi and is seemingly unchallenged with its nearest political rival, the BJP, neck deep in internal problems. On the other hand, the election results are a big blow to the BJP, which had hoped that its stint in the opposition would give it a comfortable ride to victory on the anti-incumbency factor.
Instead, the BJP has actually lost ground, conceding seats it held last time to the JMM and Marandi. A BJP leader acknowledged that the party had made a mistake in letting go of Marandi, who used to be its face in Jharkhand.
The admission was a bit like crying over spilt milk. At the end of a meeting of the parliamentary board on Wednesday, at which the results were analysed, the party seemed clueless about its next move in Jharkhand. It took the safe route of authorising newly-elected party president Nitin Gadkari to take an appropriate decision.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}