Jharkhand plummets into further trouble
The BJP, on the other hand, must know that even if a coalition government is formed, running the state with such an unpredictable partner would be a demanding task. On the other hand, loosing out on power in the state will not augur well for the NDA.
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS in Jharkhand have yet again vindicated my stand of calling the mineral-rich state as the “Dark State of India”. The players involved form a coterie which showcases the sordid picture of India’s power-centric politics. On the one hand is undisputedly India’s most unprincipled politician, whose only credential is that of being a Congress loyalist during crisis, which has somehow managed to keep him free of punishment, even though his name has been implicated in several heinous activities including the murder of his own assistant. The BJP-JMM coalition formed in December 2009, from the very beginning, looked a compromise, which came in the wake of yet another fractured mandate in the 10 year old state. The old adage of there being no untouchables in politics led to the formation of a government under one of India’s most tainted politicians. Subsequently, understandings were reached and formulae were devised, and even though it all looked quite amicable, there was always an air of discomfort around this set up. After all, here were two parties that had occupied a place in rival factions for several years, before giving up their differences in pursuit of power. Although the old saffron brigade did not approve of this unholy tie from the very onset, the gen-next leaders of the BJP stuck to their stance, possibly in a bid to showcase that they were capable of running the second largest national party of the largest democracy of the world. In the very first election following the transfer of power to Nitin Gadkari and Co, the BJP seemed to be back in business although without the blessings of its co-founder and chief promoter, L.K.Advani. As the Budget session began, it seemed everybody had forgotten this tie-up, and it all looked quite hunky dory, but for the cut-motion, where “Guruji” proved yet again how slippery a customer he is, even at this age. Notwithstanding the fact that the Leader of the Opposition had only called the JD (U), the Shiv Sena and the Akali Dal as components of the NDA, who’s MPs were supposed to vote against the government, the vote of the chief patron of the JMM in favor of the UPA became more of an embarrassment for the BJP. What followed was best described by senior BJP leader and former HRD Minister Murali Manhohar Joshi, as he recently called the entire saga as the “Theatre of the Absurd”. For sure, it has become a theatre with two parties trying to maintain an absurd coalition, with the chief patron of one of them changing his mind every second day, and his son following an entirely different line of thought. Nevertheless, the Congress leaders, who are enjoying this theatre free of cost, are not complaining as they expect their party to gain rich dividends in the upcoming Bihar elections, thanks to the uncertainty that prevails. Although it has become quite lucid that whilst Hemant Soren (Shibu Soren’s son) wants to maintain the coalition with the BJP, even if that means his father getting dethroned for the time being, Shibu Soren is in no mood to give up on what might be his last chance at the top job of the beleaguered state. As a result, the latter is desperate to join the UPA cavalcade, and is hoping that the Congress might return him the favors done during the N-Deal motion and the recent cut motion. The Way Ahead Amidst all this, the Congress would be quite happy fishing in troubled waters. With an eye on the upcoming Bihar elections and the stiff challenge posed by one of the most proficient chief ministers of India, the situation seems tricky, but by no means of any harm to the grand old party. Rumors are rife that there have been overtures from the Congress-JVM alliance to the JMM, and that the duo is ready to support a Shibu Soren-led government. Converging with Soren might dent the Congress’s image and so it will have to be a calculated risk. If political mathematics is something to go by, the Congress, by breaking the BJP-JMM alliance and coalescing with the latter, might well make the JMM an untouchable for the right-wing party in the near future. Following this, the Congress will be tempted to withdraw its support to the JMM, making way for yet another period of President’s Rule before the Bihar elections. The BJP, on the other hand, must know that even if a coalition government is formed, running the state with such an unpredictable partner would be a demanding task. On the other hand, loosing out on power in the state will not augur well for the NDA in the upcoming Bihar polls. The JD (U), also a member of the Jharkhand coalition, will also be tracking the situation quite closely. Year 2010, with just one state election, might well look a politically frugal 12 months. However, such a notion will be challenged in the next few months, as the political bickering in Jharkhand might present some intriguing situations. As analysts continue enjoying this political stalemate, there is no doubt that the sole losers in this entire game are the people of Jharkhand, who are heading towards yet another period of political instability.
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