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JMM to meet tomorrow for decision on Presidential polls
The JMM is among 17 opposition parties who have nominated former Union minister Yashwant Singh for the election
The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has called a meeting of its legislators and Parliamentarians on Saturday to take a decision on extending its support to ruling NDA nominee Droupadi Murmu in the Presidential election next month, a party leader said.
The JMM is among 17 opposition parties who have nominated former Union minister Yashwant Singh for the election. However, with Murmu in line to become the first tribal to hold the top most Constitutional post – her election is almost certain given that the numbers are heavily stacked in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) nominee – the JMM is considering reviewing its decision, party functionaries said.
“As per party president Shibu Soren’s direction, a meeting of all party MLAs and MPs will be held at 11 am on Saturday at his residence,” JMM general secretary Vinod Pandey said.
In the 81-member Jharkhand assembly, the ruling JMM has 30 legislators, of which 19 belong to the Scheduled Tribe community. Besides, the party has one Lok Sabha and two Rajya Sabha members.
JMM’s ally, the Congress, has 17 legislators, besides one Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha member. The Rashtriya Janata Dal, the third ruling partner, has one legislator. The Nationalist Congress Party and CPI (ML) each have one member in the assembly besides two independents.
The opposition BJP in the state has 25 legislators, 12 Lok Sabha members and three Rajya Sabha members. One seat is vacant in Jharkhand assembly, by-election for which was conducted on Thursday.
JMM functionaries had earlier said that it may be difficult for the party, which is known for being “for the tribals”, to ignore the nomination of a tribal for the top post, HT had reported on June 23. JMM leaders believe the party is also likely to extend their support to the NDA nominee as she shares an ‘ideological as well as personal connect’ with the Soren family.
Hours after she filed her nomination papers at the Parliament Library Building in the national capital, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP ministers, Murmu on Friday called up some key opposition leaders, including Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, NCP president Sharad Pawar and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee to seek their support for her candidature, people familiar with the matter said.
Meanwhile, the state unit of Congress on Friday cancelled an event of Sinha at its state headquarters here. The former BJP leader was scheduled to meet Congress legislators and Parliamentarians at the event.
“The meeting was cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. It will likely be held as per his programme after June 26,” state Congress spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan said.
However, a few party leaders claimed the event was called off in view of the upcoming JMM meeting.
“Once in Ranchi, Sinha would have also tried to meet the chief minister. Now it seems that a meeting would happen after the JMM announces their official decision,” a Congress leader said, seeking anonymity.
