Soren warns BJP to mend ways on RS poll

Hemant’s sudden rush to Delhi fans speculation about revival of JMM-Cong tie-up.

Taking serious note of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s decision to abstain from the upcoming Rajya Sabha poll, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief Sibu Soren said his party would be compelled to review its position in the government if the former refused to budge from its stand.

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Soren’s assertion came in the midst of reports about some of the party legislators hobnobbing with senior Congress leaders to force a turmoil in the state. Apprehensive of defections by some of its MLAs, deputy chief minister Hemant Soren rushed to New Delhi to meet BJP president Nitin Gadkari and other party seniors to persuade them to rethink their stand on RS poll, JMM leaders said.

The senior Soren, however, brushed aside the apprehension about any split in the party on the RS poll issue, saying that all party MLAs, who had even signed nomination of Independent RK Agrawal as proposers, were firmly behind the official nominee. He also dismissed any plan of the party to rejuvenate its tie with the Congress. “All talks about the Congress offer to unseat the Arjun Munda government are baseless. There is no threat to the government right now,” emphasised Soren.

Although the present equation is in favour of the official JMM nominee, the party supremo sought the support of all allies including the Janata Dal (United) and the AJSU Party to support Kumar during the polls. Kumar said that the party seniors had initiated a renewed dialogue with BJP seniors to review their stand and hopefully everything would be settled in the right earnest.

Meanwhile, meeting of a senior JMM legislator Simon Marandi with Union minister Subodh Kant Sahai and presence of AICC in-charge Shakeel Ahmad in Ranchi has fanned speculations about the Congress’ design to dethrone the Munda government. Sources said that Hemant was supposed to go to New Delhi by the same flight with Sahai and Ahmad in the evening.

However, party sources said he had to reschedule his plan and went to the national capital by another flight late evening. It is believed that Hemant might also meet AICC senior Ahmed Patel to discuss the emerging political situation in the light of offer extended to the JMM by the Congress. “There is nothing wrong to chart out our own course if Hemant’s meeting with BJP seniors failed to cut much ice,” remarked a senior leader close to the JMM chief.

Sahai, on the other hand, said the Congress would not remain idle to the political unrest caused by the ruling allies. “Right now, we don’t have any plan to de-establise the government. But, if the ruling coalition allies ask for our support, we will definitely look into it,” said the Union minister. Congress leaders said the party’s door to JMM is open if it agreed to severe its ties with the BJP.