Desperate to dent the BJP’s forte, the former Jharkhand Chief Minister Babulal Marandi has decided to contest the next Assembly election without a pre-poll alliance with the Congress, unlike 2009. Then, Marandi’s Jharkhand Vikas Morcha and Congress had jointly contested the polls for 81-member Assembly and had clinched 11 and 14 seats, respectively.
The JVM had fielded candidates on 25 seats in the 2009 election and had secured around 29 per cent of votes in these constituencies. Since then, Marandi is trying to expand the base of his party. “We have completed Assembly wise conference of party workers in around 50 seats. We now have our party’s unit at the Panchayat level. This is the best time to take the giant leap,” Marandi told the daily.
Marandi’s statement comes at a time when strains have developed in the relationship of ruling coalition partners BJP and the JMM over the latter’s decision to support Congress’ on FDI issue.
Having withdrawn support to the UPA on FDI in multi-brand retail issue, the JVM will also field candidates in all the 14 Lok Sabha seats of Jharkhand. “It is time for us to test our real strength. We will not have any pre-poll alliance in coming election,” he said.
Political Backdrop-
The BJP had withdrawn support to the Sibu Soren Government in May 2010 after Soren voted against a BJP-sponsored cut motion against UPA Government’s Budget proposals in the Lok Sabha. The JMM is now daring the BJP to repeat history, as it has sided with the UPA on FDI issue this time. Sources claim JMM emissaries are in the national capital to explore possibilities of a new Government in alliance with the Congress, if the latter agrees to make Hemant Soren the new CM. Son of JMM patriarch Sibu Soren, Hemant is deputy CM in the Arjun Munda-led coalition Government in the State.
Support of 42 MLAs is required for a simple majority in Jharkhand Assembly and if the Congress (14) agrees to side with JMM (18), they would need support of additional 10 MLAs. That could be arranged with the support of AJSU (6), currently a part of the coalition Government, and the RJD (5).
Wary about its electoral prospect in the next election, the BJP’s central leadership is expected to take stock of the situation after Chief Minister Arjun Munda returns from his personal trip abroad on December 18.
Ends---Sanjeev Shekhar
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