Political Bog: Sid Harth
navanavonmilita
http://bakulaji.typepad.com/blog/political-bog-sid-harth-15.html
Political Bog: Sid Harth
http://bakulaji.typepad.com/blog/2010/04/knock-on-the-wood-dawood-dasid-harth.html
http://navanavonmilita.wordpress.com/2010/05/03/political-bog-sid-harth/
April 27, 2010 » Feature » Full story
What is a cut motion? Wednesday, April 28, 2010, 12:10 [IST]
New Delhi: The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government faces a
cut motion in Parliament on Tuesday 27 April, 2010.
Why Cut motion is considered as an important motion?
Cut motion known as a weapon the opposition uses to bring down a
government.
The provisions are listed in Chapter XIX of the rules and procedures
regulating the conduct of business in the Lok Sabha, the lower house
of parliament.
Cut motion is a veto power given to the member of the Loks Sabha to
oppose a demand in the financial bill discussed by the government.
This can turn into an effective tool to test the strength of the
government. If a cut motion is adopted by the House and the government
does not have the numbers, it is obliged to resign.
See the rules specified (Source: Parliament of India)
http://parliamentofindia.nic.in/ls/rules/rulep19.html
Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha
Chapter XIX
FINANCIAL BUSINESS
Cut motions
209. A motion may be moved to reduce the amount of a demand in any of
the following ways:-
(a) 'that the amount of the demand be reduced to Re.1/-' representing
disapproval of the policy underlying the demand. Such a motion shall
be known as 'Disapproval of Policy Cut'. A member giving notice of
such a motion shall indicate in precise terms the particulars of the
policy which he proposes to discuss. The discussion shall be confined
to the specific point or points mentioned in the notice and it shall
be open to members to advocate an alternative policy;
(b) 'that the amount of the demand be reduced by a specified amount'
representing the economy that can be effected. Such specified amount
may be either a lump sum reduction in the demand or omission or
reduction of an item in the demand. The motion shall be known as
'Economy Cut'. The notice shall indicate briefly and precisely the
particular matter on which discussion is sought to be raised and
speeches shall be confined to the discussion as to how economy can be
effected;
(c) 'that the amount of the demand be reduced by Rs.100/-' in order to
ventilate a specific grievance which is within the sphere of the
responsibility of the Government of India. Such a motion shall be
known as 'Token Cut' and the discussion thereon shall be confined to
the particular grievance specified in the motion.
Admissibility of cut motions
210. In order that notice of motion for reduction of the amount of
demand may be admissible, it shall satisfy the following conditions,
namely:-
(I) it shall relate to one demand only;
(ii) it shall be clearly expressed and shall not contain arguments,
inferences, ironical expressions, imputations, epithets or defamatory
statements;
(iii) it shall be confined to one specific matter which shall be
stated in precise terms;
(iv) it shall not reflect on the character or conduct of any person
whose conduct can only be challenged on a substantive motion;
(v) it shall not make suggestions for the amendment or repeal of
existing laws;
(vi) it shall not refer to a matter which is not primarily the concern
of the Government of India;
(vii) it shall not relate to expenditure charged on the Consolidated
Fund of India;
(viii) it shall not relate to a matter which is under adjudication by
a court of law having jurisdiction in any part of India;
(ix) it shall not raise a question of privilege;
(x) it shall not revive discussion on a matter which has been
discussed in the same session and on which a decision has been taken;
(xi) it shall not anticipate a matter which has been previously
appointed for consideration in the same session;
(xii) it shall not ordinarily seek to raise a discussion on a matter
pending before any statutory tribunal or statutory authority
performing any judicial or quasi-judicial functions or any commission
or court of enquiry appointed to enquire into, or investigate any
matter:
Provided that the Speaker may in his discretion allow such matter
being raised in the House as is concerned with the procedure or stage
of enquiry, if the Speaker is satisfied that it is not likely to
prejudice the consideration of such matter by the statutory tribunal,
statutory authority, commission or court of enquiry; and
(xiii) it shall not relate to a trivial matter.
Speaker to decide admissibility
211. The Speaker shall decide whether a cut motion is or is not
admissible under these rules and may disallow any cut motion when in
his opinion it is an abuse of the right of moving cut motions or is
calculated to obstruct or prejudicially affect the procedure of the
House or is in contravention of these rules.
Notice of cut motions
212. If notice of a motion to reduce any demand for grant has not been
given one day previous to the day on which the demand is under
consideration, any member may object to the moving of the motion, and
such objection shall prevail, unless the Speaker allows the motion to
be made.
http://news.oneindia.in/feature/2010/0427-what-is-a-cut-motion-india-lok-sabha.html
April 28, 2010 » India » Full story
Soren struck deal with UPA on cut motion? Wednesday, April 28, 2010,
13:51 [IST]
New Delhi, Apr 28: Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren support to
United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in the cut motion on
Tuesday, Apr 27, has sparked off speculation that Soren may have
struck a deal with Congress.
Angered by the Soren's betrayal, BJP is planning to take action
against the leader.
"We have taken note of it," a senior BJP leader said outside the
Parliament, indicating that Soren could face trouble in the state.
"Soren has clearly ditched us. Now we are going to review our stand to
support the government led by him," said BJP's state unit spokesperson
Sanjay Seth.
On Tuesday, Apr 27, Soren, made a surprise appearance in the Lok Sabha
to vote against his coalition party, which led to their defeat in the
cut motion.
Read: ಕನ್ನಡದಲ್ಲಿ
According to BJP sources, Soren may have possibly struck a deal with
the Congress to make his son Hemant as the Deputy Chief Minister of
Jharkhand if he votes in their favor.
OneIndia News
http://news.oneindia.in/2010/04/28/soren-strcuk-deal-with-upa-on-cut-motion.html
January 25, 2010 » India » Full story
Soren battles for safe seat to fight Tamar by-pollMonday, January 25,
2010,12:40 [IST]
Ranchi, Jan 25: Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren on Monday, Jan
25, said he is determined to win Tamar Assembly by-poll this year.
Speaking to reporters, Soren said, "I can fight from any of two seats,
Jama and Jamtara."
Jama is represented in the Assembly by his daughter-in-law by Sita
Soren. Jamtara's legislator is also a member of the JMM, Vishnu
Bhaiya.
The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader, who took over as Chief
Minister on Dec 30, 2009, had lost the Tamar Assembly by-poll in Jan
2009.
He needs to become a member of the state Assembly within six months.
JMM leaders are working hard to ensure that there is no repeat of the
debacle.
A senior JMM leader said, "Soren lost the Tamar Assembly poll as
Congress played dirty. The hunt is on for a safer seat for Shibu
Soren. "
"We are calculating all aspects as the Congress alliance will again
try to repeat what had happened in Tamar," he added.
OneIndia News
http://news.oneindia.in/2010/01/25/soren-battles-for-safe-seat-to-fight-tamar-by-poll.html
May 6, 2010 » India » Full story
Hemant Soren resigns; offers father Dumka seat Thursday, May 6, 2010,
16:1 [IST]
Ranchi, May 6: Hemant Soren, JMM legislative party leader, resigned
from his post as MLA on Thursday, May 6 and has offered his Dumka seat
to Chief Minister Shibu Soren, who is also his father, to contest and
join the Assembly.
"Hemant has submitted his resignation letter to the Chief Minister,
asking him to contest from Dumka. Now it depends upon the CM whether
to accept it and forward it to the Speaker or not,” a close aide of
Hemant said here.
The move by Hemant came ahead of the final decision to be taken by the
BJP on thier support to the Soren government.
On Apr 28, the BJP announced its decision to withdraw support from the
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) government after the Chief Minister voted
against BJP in the cut motion.
But the party put its decision on hold after Hemant apologised on
Soren's behave and said that his father is willing to step down if the
BJP wanst to come to power.
Hemant is yet to seek an appoinment with Speaker CP Singh with regard
to the matter.
OneIndia News
http://news.oneindia.in/2010/05/06/hemant-soren-resigns-offers-father-dumka-seat.html
May 1, 2010 » India » Full story
Jharkhand: JMM trying to reconcile with BJP Saturday, May 1, 2010,
15:50 [IST]
New Delhi, May 1: Leaders of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) are making
their way to the national capital to meet the Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP) top brass over the issue of state government.
Led by Hemant Soren, son of beleaguered Jharkhand chief minister Shibu
soren, the JMM leaders' visit to New Delhi is being seen as the
party's attempt to re-establish ties with the BJP.
What is interesting is the fact that leaders such as JMM leader Haji
Hussain Ansari, Champai Soren and Teklal Mahato, who want Soren to
continue as the Chief Minister, are accompanying Hemant.
Hemant has taken up the campaign to convince the BJP that JMM was open
to the option of forming an alternative government. Soren's younger
son, Basant is also accompanying Hemant.
The move to take Basant along is being considered as JMM's effort to
convince BJP that the whole Soren family had a favourable stand on the
alternative government option.
While BJP top brass is busy holding meetings and consultation on the
next course of action in Jharkhand, the party's state unit is
reportedly divided on the issue of continuing ties with JMM.
OneIndia News
http://news.oneindia.in/2010/05/01/jharkhand-jmm-trying-to-reconcile-with-bjp.html
May 3, 2010 » India » Full story
RJD asks Soren to show strength in assembly Monday, May 3, 2010, 18:3
[IST]
Ranchi, May 3: The Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on Monday,
May 3, said that a special session of Jharkhand Assembly should be
convened and asked Chief Minister Shibu Soren to prove his strength in
the House in the wake of the rift between the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha
(JMM) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The governor should immediately convene a special session and ask the
Soren government to show his strength in the house and clear the
political uncertainty," RJD State unit president Girinath Singh told a
news conference here.
"If the chief minister fails to show his strength the governor could
call the second largest alliance to form the government ... We are
with secular forces," he said.
Singh demanded an explanation from the BJP for putting on hold its
decision to withdraw support to Jharkahnd Mukti Morcha (JMM)
government.
"JMM leader Hemant Soren and Deputy Chief Minister Sudesh Mahto both
had yesterday claimed Shibu Soren continues as the chief minister at
the head of the JMM/BJP/AJSU coalition. But there is no word from the
state leaders of BJP on the fate of the government," he added.
OneIndia News
http://news.oneindia.in/2010/05/03/rjd-asks-soren-to-show-strenght-in-assembly.html
April 29, 2010 » India » Full story
BJP convenes meeting on Hemant Soren's offer Thursday, April 29, 2010,
13:41 [IST]
Ranchi, Apr 29: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has begun its core
committee meeting in New Delhi to discuss on Shibu Soren's son,
Hemant's offer on government formation.
Buzz up!The BJP is said to have deferred its meeting with governor MOH
Farookh, which was scheduled at 11 am on Apr 29, to convey its
decision to withdraw its support from the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)
government.
Earlier, Hemant apologized to the party if his father had hurt the
party's sentiments by voting in favor of the UPA in the cut motion and
asked for reconsideration its decision to withdraw its support from
JMM.
Hemant said that his father is ready to resign if the BJP wants to
take charge.
His statement on Soren's willingness to quit is said to have revive
the party's interest in the post of the Chief Minister.
The party is expected to declare its verdict later in the day.
OneIndia News
http://news.oneindia.in/2010/04/29/bjp-conveys-meeting-on-hemant-sorens-offer.html
April 28, 2010 » India » Full story
Jharkhand heading towards mid-term polls? Wednesday, April 28, 2010,
16:48 [IST]
Jamshedpur, Apr 28: In the wake of the recent developments which led
to the ruling Shibu Soren government losing the support from the
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Jharkhand Vikash Morcha (P) indicated
that the state was heading towards a mid-term poll.
JVM (P) supremo and former chief minister Babulal Marandi said that a
mid-term poll should be held as no party had a clearcut mandate.
Commenting on the Soren-BJP upheaval, Marandi said, “I will not accuse
Soren alone, but the party which encourages such leaders.”
With the BJP dumping him, Soren has no option but to gain majority in
the state assembly to keep his position as the chief minister, and his
party Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) in power.
While JMM won 18 seats in the Nov-Dec 2009 assembly polls, BJP combine
had secured 20. The ruling JMM-BJP collision broke into pieces on
Wednesday, Apr 28 as Soren voted for the Congress-led UPA government
in the cut motion held on Tuesday Apr 27.
AJSU, which has five seats, is currently waiting for some
communication from any party.
“We have learnt of the development. There has been no communication
from any party. We are in a wait and watch mode,” the party’s Vice—
President Praveen Prabhakar told a news agency.
OneIndia News
http://news.oneindia.in/2010/04/28/jharkhand-mid-term-polls-shibu-soren-bjp-support.html
http://bakulaji.typepad.com/blog/
...and I am Sid Harth
navanavonmilita
http://bakulaji.typepad.com/blog/political-bog-sid-harth-15.html
Political Bog: Sid Harth
http://bakulaji.typepad.com/blog/2010/04/knock-on-the-wood-dawood-dasid-harth.html
http://navanavonmilita.wordpress.com/2010/05/03/political-bog-sid-harth/
http://bakulaji.typepad.com/blog/
Lalit Modi's lawyer submits papers
K Shriniwas Rao, TNN, May 9, 2010, 01.25am IST
Tags:Lalit Modi|BCCI|Ratnakar Shetty|Mehmood M Abdi
MUMBAI: On Saturday, Lalit Modi's lawyer Mehmood M Abdi submitted all
the relevant documents related to the league and its set up that the
BCCI had demanded in the showcause notice sent to the IPL honcho on
April 25.
The BCCI had asked Modi to hand over the missing documents from the
board office and the board's chief administrative officer Ratnakar
Shetty had been entrusted with the job of collecting them from Modi.
"I can confirm that all the relevant documents have been handed over
to the BCCI," Abdi told TOI on Saturday evening.
It is learnt that the documents submitted include all franchisee
agreements, global media rights agreements, the global media rights
packages, bid documents, media rights licensee agreements, eligibility
letters of all bidders with details and all sponsorship agreements
entered into by IPL. In its showcause notice to Modi, the charges
levelled by the BCCI were with regards to five issues — the initial
bids of Rajasthan Royals, Kings XI Punjab; broadcasting deal; internet
rights and alleged rigging of bids of the two new franchisees.
The fifth charge was the 'behavioural pattern' of Modi, questions the
reasons behind the Tweets revealing names of sweat equity holders in
the Kochi franchise, which the former IPL boss may personally have to
answer for if he turns up at the board office on Monday. "We'll have
to wait for two or three more days to know if he'll (Modi) personally
come (to reply to the showcause). The showcause served by BCCI
requires him to submit a reply in 15 days time and I think that should
give him time till Tuesday," Abdi said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/Lalit-Modis-lawyer-submits-papers/articleshow/5908373.cms
BCCI asked to explain why the rule change for IPL team
Indo-Asian News Service
New Delhi, May 07, 2010
First Published: 22:03 IST(7/5/2010)
Last Updated: 22:06 IST(7/5/2010)
The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Indian cricket board and its
secretary N.Srinivasan to respond to former board chief AC Muthiah's
challenge to the board's amended rules which allow its office bearers
to hold the Indian Premier League franchise.
Prior to the rules were amended, these prohibited the office-bearers
of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) from engaging in
activities that conflicted with its commercial interests. Srinivasan
is the managing director (MD) and vice-chairman of India Cements
Limited that owns Chennai Super Kings.
The apex court bench of Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan, Justice Deepak
Verma and Justice BS Chauhan issued the notice after the court was
told that amendments were brought about after the rules that forbade
the conflict of commercial interest had already been breached by
Srinivasan.
Senior counsel Harish Salve appeared for Muthiah and senior counsel R.
Nariman and Mukul Rohtagi appeared for the BCCI.
The court was told that Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, the
two of the eight teams chosen for aborted 2008 Champions League T20,
were paid a compensation Rs. 47 crore. Of this amount Rs. 20.80 crore
was approved by the governing council of Champions League and Rs 26.20
crore was approved by the governing council of the IPL. The amount was
paid by the BCCI as an ad-hoc compensation for the cancelled
tournament.
Muthiah's petition has challenged the Madras High Court's refusal to
pass interim orders on two counts: directing the BCCI to drop
Srinivasan from the BCCI, and stay the limited amendment of the rule
that barred the BCCI office-bearers from indulging in activities that
conflicted with interest of the cricket board.
The petition said: "The high court erroneously dismissed the appeal on
the grounds of locus and declined to go into the merits of the case".
Soon after India Cements Ltd. secured the franchise of the Chennai
Super Kings, Muthiah made a representation to the BCCI that since
Srinivasan was the MD of the India Cements his continuation in the
BCCI had become untenable.
Subsequently, the BCCI introduced an amendment that said the rule
barring the conflict of commercial interest would hold good for all
the activities of the BCCI except for the IPL. Incidentally, the IPL
is the biggest money spinning venture of the BCCI.
Muthiah moved the Madras High Court seeking interim direction for
dissociating Srinivasan from the BCCI and challenging the amendment
that permitted Srinivasan from owning a franchise of Chennai Super
Kings.
YOU WERE READING
Still more trouble for Modi
http://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai/Still-more-trouble-for-Modi/541091/H1-Article1-541180.aspx
Govt sends notices to all IPL franchisees
http://www.hindustantimes.com/newdelhi/BCCI-asked-to-explain-why-the-rule-change-for-IPL-team/541091/H1-Article1-540751.aspx
I've been enemy No.1 for BCCI for long: Lalit Modi
http://www.hindustantimes.com/special-news-report/ModivsTharoor/I-ve-been-enemy-No-1-for-BCCI-for-long-Lalit-Modi/Article3-540969.aspx
A close look at the IPL
http://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/A-close-look-at-the-IPL/541091/H1-Article1-534427.aspx
navanavonmilita
http://bakulaji.typepad.com/blog/political-bog-sid-harth-15.html
Political Bog: Sid Harth
http://bakulaji.typepad.com/blog/2010/04/knock-on-the-wood-dawood-dasid-harth.html
http://navanavonmilita.wordpress.com/2010/05/03/political-bog-sid-harth/
http://bakulaji.typepad.com/blog/
BJP postpones Jharkhand CM decision
NDTV Correspondent, Monday May 10, 2010, Ranchi
The suspense over who the next Chief Minister of Jharkhand will go on
for at least one more day. The BJP parliamentary board met today to
decide on a name.
Undecided on the Chief Minister for Jharkhand, the BJP will send a
team to Ranchi to meet MLA's.
According to reports, front runners for the post is Raghubar Das and
not Arjun Munda.
Meanhile the party itself seems divided on the candidate. While
Gadkari and Advani prefer Raghubar Das - as he was already Deputy
Chief Minister in the Shibu Soren government, former BJP president
Rajnath Singh prefers Arjun Munda, who is the General Secretary in
team Gadkari.
Meanwhile the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) wants a tribal for the top
post but an attempt is on to convince JMM to drop this demand.
The BJP central leadership, which was said to be keen on having a non-
tribal chief minister in Jharkhand, may have to settle for a tribal
face to keep intact its support base as well as its flock of MLAs
together.
Jharkhand, formed in 2000, has never had a non-tribal chief minister.
Thirty-two per cent of the population in the state is tribal while 15
per cent are Muslims.
The Shibu Soren-led Jharkhand government was hit by a crisis after BJP
decided to withdraw support on April 28 after the JMM leader voted
against the opposition-sponsored cut motions in the Lok Sabha.
However, the BJP kept the decision on hold after Shibu's son Hemant
Soren wrote to the party leadership expressing support for a BJP-led
government.
A proposal by JMM for a rotational chief ministership was rejected by
the BJP. Both the BJP and the JMM are against the state coming under a
spell of President's Rule fearing this may break their ranks.
Though a section within BJP central leadership is keen that Yashwant
Sinha becomes the Chief Minister, it does not want to antagonise the
tribal voters who have started drifting towards JMM and Babulal
Marandi's JVM-P.
BJP has already pledged two extra ministerial berths to JMM - taking
their number to five in the cabinet - during the recent negotiations
leaving just three seats for the party. At least one of these will
have to go to a tribal MLA but this may not be enough.
With PTI inputs
Related
Man behind threat call to Sheila Dikshit arrested
http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/man-behind-threat-call-to-sheila-dikshit-caught-24304.php
Ambiguities in Nirupama autopsy report: AIIMS forensic expert
http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/ambiguities-in-nirupama-autopsy-report-aiims-forensic-expert-24287.php
'Opportunistic alliance', says Congress on Jharkhand
http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/opportunistic-alliance-says-congress-on-jharkhand-24096.php
New government will be on rotational basis: Shibu Soren
http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/bjp-to-lead-coalition-government-in-jharkhand-24056.php
Read & Watched
Attempted honour killing? Meerut girl says no
http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/home-ministry-alarmist-on-china-jairam-ramesh-24348.php?u=954
Ex-Karnataka minister Halappa arrested for rape
http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/ex-karnataka-minister-halappa-arrested-for-rape-24289.php?u=2229
Suspected bomber held at Karachi airport
http://www.ndtv.com/news/world/suspected-bomber-held-at-karachi-airport-24385.php?u=1238
PM pulls up Ramesh for his critical comment on Home Ministry
http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/pm-pulls-up-ramesh-for-his-critical-comment-on-home-ministry-24489.php?u=1350
US warns Pak of 'severe consequences' if attack traced there
http://www.ndtv.com/news/world/us-warns-pak-of-severe-consequences-if-attack-traced-there-24078.php
Journalist Nirupama's mother gets parole; cops still clueless
http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/journalist-nirupamas-mother-gets-parole-cops-still-clueless-24299.php?u=11
Home Ministry 'alarmist' on China: Jairam Ramesh
http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/home-ministry-alarmist-on-china-jairam-ramesh-24348.php?u=954
http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/bjp-to-decide-on-jharkhand-chief-minister-today-24310.php?u=72
New Delhi, May 10, 2010 BJP to seek Jairam’s resignation
PTI
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday said it would seek the
resignation of Union Minister Jairam Ramesh if Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh did not take action against him for his “unbecoming” comments
against the Home Ministry over Chinese investments in India.
“Definitely, if the PM does not act (against him),” BJP spokesperson
Prakash Javadekar told reporters here, when asked whether the BJP will
seek his resignation for the comments.
“The comments of [Mr.] Ramesh in a foreign country which were critical
of the Government are highly objectionable...it is unbecoming of a
Union Minister. The Prime Minister owes an explanation on the internal
squabbling within ministers and take action against him,” he said.
He claimed that Mr. Ramesh has given the “most bizarre” explanation
for his comments that ties between India and China developed post
Copenhagen summit will suffer if security guidelines on import Chinese
telecom equipment are not revised.
“It is a known fact that Chinese hackers have targetted Indian
websites, therefore, the Home Ministry has rightly issued the
guidelines,” the BJP MP said.
Mr. Ramesh had said in Beijing on Saturday that the “overly defensive
and alarmist” approach in the security establishments in India which
are raising telephone tapping concerns will not help in sustaining the
Copenhagen spirit.
He had said that India should be much more relaxed in its approach to
Chinese investments in the country and get rid of “needless”
restrictions.
Keywords: Sino-Indian ties, Home Ministry, Jairam Ramesh, Copenhagen
accord
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article426231.ece
New Delhi, May 10, 2010
No confusion over approach towards China: Manmohan
PTI
The Hindu Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, on Monday, pulled up
Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh's critical comments on MHA. File
Photo: V.V. Krishnan Related
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday pulled up Environment Minister
Jairam Ramesh for his critical comments against Home Ministry in
relation to China as he asked him not to speak about functioning of
other ministries.
Dr. Singh spoke to Mr. Ramesh and emphatically told him that there was
“no confusion” in the government over its approach towards China with
which it wanted to have “constructive engagement“.
Dr. Singh told Mr. Ramesh that it was “advisable for Cabinet
colleagues not to make comments on the functioning of other
ministries, especially with regard to relationship with important
neighbours like China,” the PMO sources said.
The Prime Minister’s blunt message to the Environment Ministry came
two days after Mr. Ramesh said in Beijing that the Home Ministry was
“overly defensive” and “alarmist” in its approach towards entry of
Chinese companies in India.
“There is no confusion in our policies towards China and we continue
to strive for constructive engagement with Beijing,” Dr. Singh told
Mr. Ramesh.
Mr. Ramesh, while talking about the India-China warmth developed
during the Copenhagen Summit on Climate Change, had suggested that the
Home Ministry needed to be “much more relaxed” in its approach to
Chinese investments in India.
Keywords: Jairam Ramesh, China policy, Manmohan Singh, Home Ministry
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article426126.ece?homepage=true
New Delhi, May 10, 2010 Cong distances itself from Jairam’s remark
PTI
PTI
Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh. File
Photo Related
Congress on Monday distanced itself from the remarks of Environment
Minister Jairam Ramesh, who was critical of the Home Ministry for
allegedly stalling import of Chinese telecom equipment and raising
security concerns.
“Let the minister come back and throw light on what he has said. He
can tell whether there was any confusion about what he said,” Congress
spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed said.
Sources in Congress admitted that there is disquiet in the party
circles over the remarks by a Congress minister against the approach
of another ministry of its own government. “It is something that is
not encouraging,” a senior leader said.
“An adverse comment against the policy and functioning of a ministry
as sensitive as Home Affairs that, too in a foreign land, cannot be
justified. If there are differences of opinion over an issue, these
have to be resolved at party and government fora,” he said.
Mr. Ramesh had said in Beijing on Saturday that the “overly defensive
and alarmist” approach in the security establishments in India which
are raising telephone tapping concerns will not help in sustaining the
Copenhagen spirit.
He had said that India should be much more relaxed in its approach to
Chinese investments into the country and get rid of “needless”
restrictions adding “we are imagining demons where there are none.”
Suggesting that India should be more open and receptive to investments
and technology from the neighbouring country, Mr. Ramesh said the
spirit of cooperation evolved at Copenhagen between the prime
ministers of the two Asian giants should be taken forward.
Mr. Ramesh had made the remarks in the context of recent reports that
India had barred import of telecom equipment from major Chinese firm
Huawei, especially in the border areas following security concerns.
Home Secretary G K Pillai has, however, rubbished reports of a bias
against China saying there was no discrimination from the government’s
side and it was wrong to say that the security establishment was
biased against the Chinese.
Keywords: Environment Minister, Jairam Ramesh, Congress
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article426117.ece
http://navanavonmilita.wordpress.com/political-bog-sid-harth/
navanavonmilita
http://bakulaji.typepad.com/blog/political-bog-sid-harth-15.html
Political Bog: Sid Harth
http://bakulaji.typepad.com/blog/2010/04/knock-on-the-wood-dawood-dasid-harth.html
http://navanavonmilita.wordpress.com/2010/05/03/political-bog-sid-harth/
http://bakulaji.typepad.com/blog/
http://navanavonmilita.wordpress.com/political-bog-sid-harth/
This son comes out of Soren shadow
Manoj Prasad
Tags : Shibu Soren, Hemant Soren, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Simon
Marandi, Teklal Mahato, Hemlal Murmu
Posted: Tue May 11 2010, 00:21 hrs
Ranchi:
Out of turn?Excellence through the GitaThe Cricket MonsterLeapords
lost in Haryana After taking centrestage in the BJP-JMM talks that
signalled a reprieve — for the time being — for his father, Shibu
Soren, Hemant Soren is clearly not content to remain in the sidelines
anymore. In fact, Shibu Soren’s third child is now aiming for the
chief minister’s post — if not now then in the near future. And the 34-
year-old even has his father’s blessings, as Soren anointed him as his
“rightful inheritor” soon after Hemant was made the Jharkhand Mukti
Morcha’s legislature party leader in February.
But Hemant has not found ready acceptance in the party. Party
stalwarts were hoping to elect a leader from amongst themselves. There
were quite a few probable candidates — Simon Marandi, Teklal Mahato,
Hemlal Murmu and some others. But this was not what Guruji (Soren) had
in mind.
“I built the party brick by brick. If he (Hemant) does not carry
forward my work, who else will?” says Soren.
Even as senior party leaders, including Marandi and Mahato, refused to
accept him as their leader, Hemant left no stone unturned in his quest
to grab power. He is learnt to be instrumental in making his father
cast his vote against the Opposition-sponsored cut motion in
Parliament. His aim was to shift the focus from the bypoll to Guruji’s
retirement and thereby put himself in the spotlight.
So when the BJP decided to withdraw support to the Jharkhand
government, Hemant swung into action and got two letters drafted on
behalf of his father, apologising for voting against the cut motion
and blaming it on his ill-health. In one of the letters sent to BJP
president Nitin Gadkari, Soren agreed to step down as CM but laid down
one condition: the BJP should choose a tribal as the next CM.
So far, the BJP has neither found a tribal leader to take Soren’s
place nor has it withdrawn support. And Soren has gained time to re-
evaluate whether he should quit as CM and not contest the Assembly
bypoll.
Even the dissidence within the party took a backseat. On April 28,
Hemant attended a meeting convened by Congress MLA Gopal Sharan Nath
Shahdeo at his residence in Ratu, indicating that he and his father
were not averse to exploring a new coalition government led by the
Congress. He has swiftly manoeuvered himself into a powerful position
that makes him de facto CM and head of the JMM. But he may still find
it difficult to establish himself among his native Santhal tribe, let
alone the entire state.
Born in 1975, Hemant was raised in Bokaro steel city along with Durga,
sister Anjali,and younger brother Basant.
Hemant did Matric and Intermediate in Science from Patna University.
He dropped out of the BE (Mechanical) course at the Birla Institute of
Technology, Mesra, and became the JMM’s students’ wing president after
the creation of the state in 2000. He is known to be the person behind
the computerisation of the JMM office.
During the past decade, Hemant, who was elected as MLA from Dumka,
represented in the Lok Sabha by his father, has been named in four
criminal cases including two non-bailable ones — attempt to murder and
destruction of official records.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/this-son-comes-out-of-soren-shadow/617073/0
JMM demands BJP to share power on 50:50 basis in Jharkhand
May 10th, 2010 charan pratap sing
JMM has asked BJP to share power with them in Jharkhand on 50:50
basis. Briefing newsmen late last night after Chief Minister Shibu
Soren chaired a 3-hour-long legislature party meeting, his son Hemant
Soren said the party will wait for BJP’s response to the sharing of
power between the allies and will again discuss the issue on
Wednessday, depending on the ally’s stand.
Hemant Soren who is laos the JMM legislative party leader, said,
during the meeting with BJP President Nitin Gadkari and others, his
party proposed sharing of power for 28 months each. But now, JMM has
learnt that BJP is willing to govern the state for a full term.
He said, for the sake of stability and development of the state, the
JMM gave the post of chief minister to BJP and now, it is up to them
to think over the issue of sharing power on 50-50 basis.
Asked when Chief Minister Shibu Soren will resign, Hemant said let BJP
choose its chief ministerial candidate and clear its stand on the
50-50 proposal.
Fourteen out of the party’s 18 MLAs attended the late night
meeting.BJP has appointed central observers – Rajnath Singh and Anant
Kumar – who will go to Ranchi today to help their party MLAs choose a
new chief minister.
Meanwhile, senior JMM MLA Simon Marandi said two opinions emerged
during the meeting. One group was against realignment with BJP and
another favoured re-arrangement.
While, Congress accused the BJP of political opportunism and hypocrisy
in Jharkhand and raised questions of accountability for non-
governance.
Party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi told reporters in New Delhi that it
is an extreme form of political opportunism and hypocricy of BJP’s
brand of politics.
http://www.samachartoday.com/jmm-demands-bjp-to-share-power-on-5050-basis-in-jharkhand/2842
I will be happy with farming: Soren
TNN, May 10, 2010, 09.48pm IST
RANCHI: Chief minister Shibu Soren seems well prepared to lead the
life of a farmer after quitting government. Addressing people during
the declaration of school final results at the Jharkhand Academic
Council on Monday, he said people with some skills need not worry
about survival.
"People like me would survive by farming. But today's leaders, who
have no personal skills of their own, should think twice before
playing dirty games in politics. How are they going to survive once
thrown out of government," Soren said, without naming anyone.
Guruji's speech indicated that he had identified himself with the
common people instead of the government now. "Our state is rich in
minerals. But this belongs to the common people. The government should
understand that it is using the minerals on their behalf. For, they
are the actual owners," Soren said. "The day minerals are finished, we
will have nothing left to survive with," he cautioned.
Reiterating his concept of sustainable development, Soren said people
in every village and suburb should be aware that they are the masters
of their own fate. "We cannot wait for the government to come and feed
us. Instead of pure academics, people should concentrate on acquiring
practical skills so that they can earn their livelihood," he added.
Pointing fingers at the government for not being able to fill up
vacancies, Soren also expressed doubt on whether the private sector
had the capacity to employ the huge army of educated unemployed
youths. "Farming, rearing animals, practising pisciculture are better
options," he said, lambasting all politicians, who have risen to power
in a short time. "Chhota-mota neta party ka adhikari ban gaya to idhar
udhar karta hai (After acquiring a position in the party, some small-
time leaders try to dabble in politics," he reiterated without naming
anyone.
Soren asked the leaders to have a better vision for the state and its
people and clarified that he would be happy returning to his farmland.
"I used to practise farming for two hours even as chief minister and
will have no grudge continuing with that," he said.
http://bakulaji.typepad.com/blog/political-bog-sid-harth-16.html
navanavonmilita
http://navanavonmilita.wordpress.com/of-dalliances-and-unholy-alliances-sid-harth/
Gadkari flunks test
RADHIKA RAMASESHAN
Gadkari
New Delhi, May 12: Nitin Gadkari has flunked the first big political
test he faced after taking over as BJP president.
Sixteen days after Gadkari and his colleagues withdrew support to the
Shibu Soren-led government in a huff and then “suspended” the decision
almost as swiftly, no resolution seems in sight.
Every deadline the BJP set for itself has passed without the party
making any headway.
Now it is learnt that if the Sorens — Shibu Soren and his son Hemant —
insist on sharing the chief minister’s post for the remaining term,
Gadkari is “not averse” to accepting the arrangement.
When the parliamentary board that sat on April 28 decided Soren must
be dumped, Gadkari nodded in assent. His predecessor, Rajnath Singh
was not present.
Rajnath, an old Jharkhand hand, was reportedly aghast when he heard
about the decision and quickly prevailed on Gadkari to reverse it,
especially when Hemant had dangled the top post’s bait before the BJP.
Gadkari went along with him.
The BJP might reconsider its position on having a “rotational”
arrangement. The rethink set in after Hemant told Rajnath and Ananth
Kumar that the JMM would not accept a chief minister from the BJP for
the coalition government’s remaining tenure.
The BJP would have to share the post with the JMM, he reportedly
stressed.
A highly placed source involved in the negotiations with the JMM and
its constituents said Gadkari had started sounding out L.K. Advani,
Sushma Swaraj, Murli Manohar Joshi and other parliamentary board
members on reversing the earlier decision against a time-sharing
pattern for the top post. “He is speaking to them individually,” the
source said.
Apparently, the JMM conveyed that its support to the BJP will not be
“unconditional”. It will depend on whether it would accept the
“rotational” formula. “We cannot reject it outright, maybe there is
merit in their demand,” the source said.
But the vacillation has sucked Gadkari into the vortex of the BJP’s
internal power play.
While he may not be a direct catalyst, he has revived the rivalries
that beset the party since 2004.
In appointing Gadkari — largely an unknown quantity —RSS chief
Mohanrao Bhagwat had hoped to stem the factionalism.
When the flurry of statements and counter-statements, flung by Arun
Shourie, Yashwant Sinha and Jaswant Singh stopped, it looked like
Bhagwat might well attain his objective.
No such luck, not after Jharkhand.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100513/jsp/nation/story_12444247.jsp
BJP mulls CM by turn
- Citing political turmoil, governor objects to transfers
RADHIKA RAMASESHAN
Yashwant Sinha in Ranchi on Wednesday. Picture by Prashant Mitra
New Delhi, May 12: The BJP might reconsider its position on a
“rotational” arrangement after Hemant Soren told Rajnath Singh and
Ananth Kumar that the JMM would not accept a chief minister from the
BJP for the coalition government’s remaining tenure in Jharkhand
unless the post was shared with it.
A highly placed source involved in the negotiations with the JMM and
its constituents told The Telegraph that BJP president Nitin Gadkari
had started sounding out L.K. Advani, Sushma Swaraj, Murli Manohar
Joshi and other parliamentary board members on reversing the earlier
decision against a time-sharing pattern for the chief minister’s post.
“He is speaking to them individually,” the source said.
Apparently, the JMM conveyed to the BJP that its support would not be
“unconditional” and would depend on whether the party accepted the
“rotational” formula.
“We cannot reject it outright. May be there is merit in their demand,”
the source maintained.
Asked if Gadkari could carry the rest of the party on the JMM’s
proposal, the source said, “I cannot rule out any possibility.
Politics is about the art of the possible. Things take time to fall in
place. We have the patience to put up with it. After all, didn’t the
Conservatives and the Lib-Dems come together in Britain?”
If the parliamentary board does endorse the rotation proposal, it is
not clear who will have the first shot at the chief minister’s post.
Chief minister Shibu Soren will have to demit office by the end of
June unless he decides to contest an Assembly by-poll which is
possible only if a sitting JMM MLA vacates his seat. So far there is
no sign of that happening.
Hence, the BJP may get the first turn, but it is in a tangle on who
its chief ministerial candidate would be.
Although Rajnath and other central leaders were in favour of Arjun
Munda, Gadkari was against sending a Lok Sabha MP to Ranchi because of
the “problems” involved in having him elected to the Assembly.
“He prefers an MLA to be chief minister, aware of the problems Soren
has in finding an Assembly seat. Also, frankly nobody in our party is
sure how long the government will last. If we send an MP, he might end
up losing his Assembly and Lok Sabha seats if the government falls,” a
party leader explained.
Earlier in the day, Rajnath and Kumar briefed Gadkari and Advani on
their deliberations with MLAs in Ranchi yesterday.
The BJP parliamentary board was unlikely to sit until the JMM’s
support letter came and Soren resigned.
“We do not want to looking foolish again. Suppose we announce our
chief ministerial candidate and the JMM ditches? We will lose face
irreparably,” a source said.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100513/jsp/frontpage/story_12444270.jsp
Farook glare on state govt
SUMAN K. SHRIVASTAVA
Ranchi, May 12: Governor M..H. Farook has asked the Shibu Soren
government to put on hold senior level appointments and large-scale
transfers citing the prevailing political uncertainty in the state.
Farook, according to Raj Bhavan sources, called chief secretary Ashok
Kumar Singh yesterday and expressed his displeasure at some of the
recent transfers of bureaucrats and proposed senior-level
appointments, especially that of the chief information commissioner.
The chief secretary, according to sources, sent a letter to the chief
minister’s office today and pointed out that the governor had
disapproved of the state government’s move to order large-scale
transfers and appointments.
A three-member committee, headed by the chief minister, had
recommended former chief secretary A.K. Basu for the post of chief
information commissioner, though the official file was yet to be sent
to Raj Bhavan.
Besides, the joint secretary in the planning department, Gauri Shankar
Prasad, was transferred to Seraikela-Kharsawan as deputy commissioner
a couple of days ago.
According to sources, transfer of half a dozen deputy commissioners,
several SPs, DDCs and other officials were in the pipeline as the
government was considering requests from MLAs to have officers of
their choice posted in their constituencies apprehending the
imposition of President’s rule.
Legal experts, however, said the governor’s move wasn’t constitutional
as the Soren government was a legitimate entity since it had not been
reduced to a minority.
“There is no petition pending before the governor for withdrawal of
support by the BJP. So, the directive isn’t legally tenable,” pointed
out former advocate-general Anil Kumar Sinha.
The political mood in the state was far from upbeat as indications
were that the BJP was finding it difficult to make up its mind and had
summoned Jamshedpur MP Arjun Munda to Delhi.
Senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha, who arrived here today, indicated
the negotiations would take more time. “It is a complex situation. The
decision will be taken after going through all aspects,” he said.
In the Opposition camp, Union food processing minister Subodh Kant
Sahay met JVM chief Babulal Marandi to discuss their role, if any, to
avoid President’s Rule in the state.
The Union minister, however, clarified that the Congress was not in a
hurry to form an alternative government. “We are waiting for the BJP
to be further exposed for its lust for power,” he said.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100513/jsp/frontpage/story_12443204.jsp
Betrayed and befooled, BJP dumps Soren
RADHIKA RAMASESHAN AND OUR RANCHI BUREAU
Shibu Soren
April 28: The JMM-led government in Jharkhand was reduced to a
minority today after the BJP withdrew support to avenge the
humiliation heaped by chief minister Shibu Soren who voted with the
Congress yesterday and supped with Nitin Gadkari within a few hours.
As the Congress suggested it preferred a short spell of President’s
rule in the Maoist-infested state, the JMM went on the defensive late
tonight and claimed that Soren’s vote was cast by “mistake”.
Hemant, Soren’s son, expressed regret to the BJP leadership for his
father’s “error”. He claimed the chief minister was ready to resign
and urged the NDA to take a fresh initiative to form a government with
a new leader.
The BJP leadership insisted that deputy chief minister Raghubar Das
would meet governor M..H. Farook tomorrow to formally withdraw
support, but it also appeared to be keeping its options open.
Asked whether Hemant’s “offer” would prompt a rethink, senior leader
Venkaiah Naidu said: “We can hear out the father and son. We are going
to meet the governor tomorrow. But we will also discuss with the
party’s state unit and get a sense of what they feel.”
Hemant said the state wasn’t ready to face another poll. “The JMM is
ready to make a sacrifice for Guruji’s (Soren’s) mistake,” he said.
Several senior leaders from the state, including MPs Yashwant Sinha
and Arjun Munda, are opposed to striking another deal with Soren but
deputy chief minister Das, who has the support of the BJP’s 18 MLAs,
is said to be in favour of continuing the alliance.
One formula being floated is to let Das take over as chief minister
and let Hemant become his deputy. The elder Soren has to get elected
to the Assembly in less than two months but so far, he was unable to
find a safe seat.
However, the BJP leadership in Delhi is wary of a fresh deal. Some
leaders feel Soren and the Congress have already struck a deal but are
not going public immediately.
After the BJP’s pullout, the ruling coalition has been reduced to 28
from 46 in a House of 82.
Vote & dinner shock
Whatever the outcome of the current instability, the BJP has come out
badly bruised from the cut-motion misadventure. A Delhi meeting,
headed by party chief Nitin Gadkari, was quick to decide to withdraw
support.
Other BJP leaders are still struggling to come to terms with the
“betrayal”. Lok Sabha Opposition leader Sushma Swaraj said she was
specifically told by L.K. Advani that she should ensure Soren did not
turn up to vote. In 1999, the Vajpayee-led government was voted out on
a single ballot cast by Giridhar Gamang.
So Advani said Soren should make himself scarce. “I told him that if
he comes on his own and if his one vote is as useful as Gamang’s was
to the Congress, we should allow him to press the button. But that was
half in jest,” Sushma said.
Sushma said she did not see Soren “sneak” into the House. But a sharp-
eyed Nishikant Dubey, the Godda MP from the BJP, spotted Soren
pressing the red button to negate the BJP-sponsored motion. Sushma’s
jaw dropped when she was informed.
Then the machine packed up and voting on slips began. Dubey, a first-
time MP, went up to Soren, a veteran, to advise him to vote on the
right slip. “He said, ‘Yes, yes, I probably made a mistake the first
time’. But he sought the red slip,” a BJP leader said.
Sushma tried to trace him after voting and was in for another shock.
Soren was dining at the residence of BJP president Nitin Gadkari. “She
was taken aback. He had just voted against the BJP and then he coolly
ate with the party chief,” a leader said.
Around 9pm, Gadkari had no idea of what had happened.
This morning, when the BJP’s parliamentary board met in Sushma’s
official chamber, Gadkari, who apparently looked a bit “sheepish”,
called Soren a “masterly actor”.
The rest agreed.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100429/jsp/frontpage/story_12393444.jsp
Orissa-bitten BJP dictates Assam policy
UMANAND JAISWAL
BJP president Nitin Gadkari during his Assam visit. (PTI)
Guwahati, May 2: Fears of sudden betrayal from its electoral ally had
led the BJP to virtually coax a break-up in Assam by almost
manipulating the desired response from the AGP.
The fears were triggered by the abrupt end of the decade-old
understanding of the party with the BJD in Orissa with just about a
month to go for the 2009 Lok Sabha Assembly elections, in which the
BJP suffered a virtual rout.
Assam is slated to go to the polls in 2011.
So when party president Nitin Gadkari revealed his aspirations of
seeing a BJP chief minister at Dispur or said that history would judge
BJP as the only party to fight influx, he had an agenda on his mind —
not allow the AGP to do a BJD in Assam.
The missile came during Gadkari’s maiden visit to Assam on April 5.
“There is a policy shift from Rajnath (Singh)ji to Nitinji. These were
calculated remarks aimed to elicit AGP’s stand following reports of
sharp differences within the party over continuing the alliance. It
did the trick. Looking for an excuse to call off the alliance, the AGP
responded by publicly announcing the divorce. We know their position
now,” one of the BJP leaders said.
While Gadkariji’s predecessor Rajnath Singh wanted the alliance to
continue till next year’s Assembly elections, with the regional party
getting the major share of tickets, the incumbent party president
wanted an alliance but on his own terms.
This shift in BJP’s has also been dictated by Gadkari’s firm belief in
consolidating the party on its own instead of piggy-riding; his
inherent dislike for procrastination for which the AGP is quite
famous; the party’s own assessment about increasing its tally from 10
MLAs in 2006 (not form the government) without a “divided” AGP and of
being “equal” partners instead of playing “big and small” brother to
any alliance.
“Nitinji is not against alliance. We are still for an alliance with
the AGP in the interest of Assam and Opposition and want it sealed at
least six months ahead of polls so that we can jointly and effectively
work in the field. Last time, we got around 20 days, not adequate
enough to transfer our votes to the AGP. Simultaneously, we are also
planning for a scenario without the AGP,” said P. Chandrasekhar, BJP’s
organisation secretary, in-charge of Northeast, told The Telegraph.
Gadkari met the extended state executive in Delhi on April 21 and
discussed in detail matters concerning organisational infrastructure
and the 2011 Assembly elections.
He wanted the state party to identify candidates.
“If there is an alliance, we will not nominate him/her but we will
certainly not be caught off guard if it off. Gadkari is very clear-
headed on the alliance issue with AGP or any other party,” the senior
leader said.
This came to the fore when Gadkari withdrew support to alliance
partner JMM in Jharkhand in protest against chief minister Shibu
Soren, voting in favour of the UPA against a Opposition-sponsored cut
motions in Parliament.
“There are no half-measures, dithering, with Gadkari, irrespective of
the cost involved. To him, the health of the party comes first,” the
leader said.
The BJP’s efforts to consolidate in Assam with or without AGP,
according to sources, is because of the huge role the state, with 14
Lok Sabha seats, could play in spreading its base in the Northeast.
“We had our only government in the Northeast in Arunachal Pradesh, but
it was by default. We won four of the eight seats in the last general
elections. Assam holds the key to our future in the Northeast. To do
well here is strategically important,” another party leader said,
adding that it would contest around 80-90 seats on its own next year.
“And around 50-60 if there is a tie-up with AGP.”
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100503/jsp/northeast/story_12404259.jsp
BJP trashes JMM wishlist
Party not willing to share power
RADHIKA RAMASESHAN
BJP leaders Sushma Swaraj, LK Advani, Gopinath Munde and Rajnath Singh
in New Delhi on Friday
New Delhi, May 7: The BJP today rejected the JMM demand of sharing the
Jharkhand chief minister’s post on a rotational 50:50 formula.
The move would have entailed a government to be headed by a BJP chief
minister for half of the remaining term and by one from the JMM for
the other half.
A senior BJP leader speaking on condition of anonymity said his party
was not enthusiastic about forming the government in Jharkhand. He
said stability was of prime importance and it was nowhere in sight in
the present scenario.
In the past, the BJP had experimented with the arrangement the JMM was
proposing, in Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka, where it was in a coalition
with the BSP and the Janata Dal (Secular) respectively. Both times, it
bit the dust. In Uttar Pradesh, Mayawati, who was the chief minister
for the first half of the government tenure, pulled out of the
coalition when it was time to hand over power to the BJP. The Dal
(Secular), led by the father-son pair of H.D. Deve Gowda and H.D.
Kumaraswamy, similarly refused to redeem their promise to the BJP.
The political implications of this power-sharing structure played out
differently for the BJP: It paid a price in Uttar Pradesh for being
“outsmarted” by a “Dalit woman” and lost its pre-eminence in
legislative politics. In Karnataka, B.S. Yeddyurappa projected himself
as a “martyr” of the Gowda-Kumaraswamy machinations and got a
thundering mandate in the last elections from an emotionally charged
electorate.
“Bitten so many times, we are not ready to burn our fingers again,” a
senior leader said.
It is learnt that the JMM also insisted the BJP should have one of its
tribal MLAs as the chief minister and not an MP — a pre-condition that
irritated its leaders who were palpably impatient with the JMM’s
tendency to play big brother to a “mainstream” party.
The JMM-Ajsu delegation had two rounds of meetings with the BJP, both
at the residence of Rajnath Singh who is Nitin Gadkari’s pointperson.
Gadkari, the BJP president, flew down from Goa for three hours or so
for the meeting that was also attended by his party’s representatives
from Jharkhand.
The demands were reportedly not placed in the first session. “The JMM
leaders appeared so reasonable that we concluded that things had
fallen in place and an announcement could be made on Friday or
Saturday,” a general secretary said.
This morning, the JMM-Ajsu opened their cards and upset the BJP’s
applecart. “Things don’t look that positive now,” admitted a Rajnath
aide.
However, he was not prepared to call it quits because Rajnath and to
an extent, Gadkari — for whom Jharkhand is the first big test of
political acumen and skills — stand to lose a lot if the coalition
ended abruptly with the BJP returning “empty-handed”.
Sources claimed in this exercise of “intense bargaining with a tough
customer (the JMM)”, adopting a “slightly tough” posture might help
the BJP. Their reading was the Congress was unlikely to play ball with
the Sorens. If the Congress jumped into the game, the JMM might be
vulnerable to a split in which case the Sorens might find themselves
high and dry if the party managed to cobble up the numbers minus them.
“Politics is also about wearing out each other’s nerves. Let us see
who blinks first. But the chances are we will not,” a BJP leader
stressed.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100508/jsp/frontpage/story_12425263.jsp
BJP sinks deeper into JMM mess Fate of govt hangs on MLAs’ support
letter
RADHIKA RAMASESHAN
Shibu Soren inspects Ranchi Ring Road on Sunday. Telegraph picture
New Delhi, May 2: The BJP is willing to wait for a few more days for
Shibu Soren to put in his papers as chief minister and has, therefore,
asked his son Hemant to simultaneously offer a letter of support to a
government that will be led by it, indicating the Jharkhand stalemate
is unlikely to end soon.
In a four-hour-long meeting that BJP president Nitin Gadkari and
senior leaders Rajnath Singh, Ananth Kumar and Ramlal had with Soren
junior, Ajsu chief Sudesh Mahto and JD(U)’s Jaleshwar Mahto yesterday,
the party also emphasised that the JMM will first have to put its
house in order and secure a letter of support from each of its MLA for
a BJP-led government.
“Otherwise we are not interested in doing business with them,” a
senior leader present at the meeting told The Telegraph. Hemant,
however, wasn’t able to give a commitment on the BJP’s demands.
With no breakthrough yet, the parliamentary board that was slated to
meet today, put off the meeting indefinitely.
Differences have cropped up in the BJP’s top echelons. Some questioned
the wisdom of biting Hemant’s bait of installing a BJP chief minister
without considering the uncertainty inherent in renegotiating a deal
with a “proven unreliable” ally like the JMM.
“We should have thought through things carefully before rushing into
them,” a Gadkari aide admitted.
The sceptics felt their reservations were vindicated when on Saturday,
Hemant asked the BJP to let his father continue as chief minister for
the next couple of months after which he will be required to seek
election to the Assembly.
Hemant’s point was since Soren was “unlikely” to find a seat, he will
automatically relinquish chief ministership, paving the way for a BJP
takeover. No BJP leader was persuaded by this argument. One of them
said, “It confirmed our suspicions that Hemant was not in control of
the JMM MLAs, that Soren was unwilling to let go of his post and might
well be double-dealing with the Congress and that the trust deficit
between us and the JMM has grown since the cut motion disaster.”
In such a fluid scenario, the BJP feared the Ajsu and other
constituents of the existing coalition might search for “greener
pastures” to avert President’s rule and a fresh election.
Sources have started blaming Rajnath for advising Gadkari to rethink
the withdrawal of support decision.
It is learnt that Rajnath’s main contention was if Jharkhand was
brought under President’s rule, it might adversely impact the Dal (U)-
BJP’s prospects in the Bihar elections though nobody found substance
in the argument.
“He (Rajnath) apparently told Gadkari that both scenarios would work
against the BJP and its ally in Bihar. If the Congress were to form a
government with JMM and RJD that will be bad and equally central rule,
too, will be bad. We feel the Bihar polls will be fought on Nitish
Kumar government’s performance, the changing caste dynamics, the
apparent lack of unity in the Opposition,” an office-bearer said.
The only reason the BJP ruled out a Congress-JMM dispensation was that
it might fall short of the required numbers because the Jharkhand
Vikas Morcha of Babulal Marandi, presently a UPA constituent, ruled
out truck with the Sorens.
Marandi and the Sorens were rivals for the same tribal vote-bank.
Marandi has 11 MLAs—a block that cannot be sniffed at in a precarious
numbers game. About chances of a possible rapprochement with Soren, a
leader replied, “Fifty-fifty. My belief is we should wait for a day or
two at most. If h doesn’t quit, we should meet the Governor and
formally withdraw support. That’s the only way of cutting our
political losses.”
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100503/jsp/frontpage/story_12405181.jsp
JVM-P Demands Dismissal Of Soren Govt In Jharkhand
Ranchi | May 12, 2010
Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik (JVM-P) today demanded dismissal
of Shibu Soren government in the state saying the coalition has no
moral right to govern in the present scenario.
"We demand dismissal of Shibu Soren government, which has lost
majority support in the Assembly," JVM-P president Babulal Marandi
said.
The dismissal of the government would make way for the formation of an
alternative government in the state, he said.
Marandi said he will meet Governor along with his party leaders
tomorrow and demand dismissal of the Shibu Soren government to pave
the way for formation of a new government.
The JVM-P will also demand a judicial inquiry into the decisions taken
by the government in the last 15 days since political uncertainty
gripped the state, Marandi said.
RELATED WIRES :
Confusion Persists Over Govt Formation In Jharkhand May 12, 2010
http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?681824
Jharkhand: BJP Rules Out Rotational Power Sharing May 12, 2010
http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?681780
JMM Open for Talks on Rotation, BJP Buys Time May 11, 2010
http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?681730
Central BJP Leaders Hold Discussions On Jharkhand May 11, 2010
http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?681687
JMM Demands Sharing of Power on 50:50 Basis May 11, 2010
http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?681631
Sahai Demands Governor's Intervention In Jharkhand May 10, 2010
http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?681627
Jharkhand Bandh On Tuesday May 10, 2010
http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?681621
BJP Using Political Opportunism In Jharkhand: Cong May 10, 2010
http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?681620
Jharkhand: BJP Appoints Observers to Resolve Crisis May 10, 2010
http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?681581
BJP Meet Today to Decide on Jharkhand Issue May 10, 2010
http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?681532
Jharkand: BJP Debating Tribal Vs Non-Tribal CM May 09, 2010
http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?681498
BJP Meet to Decide on Jharkand On Monday May 09, 2010
http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?681494
http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?681862
Goal: cut Congress to size
OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
Mamata at the rally. (Pradip Sanyal)
Calcutta, May 12: Mamata Banerjee today called the Congress a party of
“betrayers” and asked the people not to vote for it anywhere across
the city during the May 30 polls.
Defeating the CPM in the Calcutta civic polls does not appear to be a
major problem for her this time. But she seems to have set her goal on
reducing the Congress, which she had accused of breaking the alliance,
to an insignificant factor in the civic polls.
Coming a day after Pranab Mukherjee launched the Congress campaign
where he had hit out at Mamata, although without naming her, the
Trinamul chief’s inaugural campaign speech at the Shyambazar five-
point crossing in north Calcutta underscored her strategy vis-à-vis
the Congress.
Mamata, however, took care not to name either the Bengal Congress
chief or his party during her Congress-bashing in her speech that
lasted nearly two hours.
“If somebody comes and tries to split the anti-Left vote by betraying
us, then I would appeal to you to cast your votes in Trinamul’s
favour. Every vote for Trinamul is a blessing for us,” Mamata said.
“Don’t vote for those who spring into action during election time to
split the anti-Left vote to strengthen the hands of the CPM.”
But Mamata also made it clear that she was not entirely burning her
bridges with the Congress, keeping in mind her compulsions of staying
on in the UPA government and the advantages she can draw from being
the railway minister as well as leaving the door ajar for an alliance
with the Congress for next year’s Assembly elections.
“I want to make it clear to you once again that the UPA is a coalition
of myriad parties of which the Congress is a major one. One should not
think that the Congress has made us ministers. We have our own
strength in the UPA. So, I shall stay there as long as I can stay
there with honour. I shall not quit until I am forcibly pushed out of
it,” Mamata the gathering.
A Trinamul general secretary said Mamata had indicated to them that a
dialogue could be started with the Congress after the civic polls. “We
have no problem in collaborating with the Congress after the civic
polls,” he said.
Mamata time and again called the CPM her “principal political
adversary”.
She said if her party was voted to power in Calcutta, the electorate
would not have to wait till next year for the Assembly polls. “… I am
assuring you that the Assembly elections would be held within three
months,” the Trinamul leader said.
Mamata will launch her civic-poll campaign in south Calcutta at the
Hazra crossing on Friday.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100513/jsp/frontpage/story_12444261.jsp
http://navanavonmilita.wordpress.com/political-bog-sid-harth-2/
navanavonmilita
http://bakulaji.typepad.com/blog/political-bog-sid-harth-15.html
Political Bog: Sid Harth
http://bakulaji.typepad.com/blog/2010/04/knock-on-the-wood-dawood-dasid-harth.html
http://navanavonmilita.wordpress.com/2010/05/03/political-bog-sid-harth/
http://bakulaji.typepad.com/blog/
http://navanavonmilita.wordpress.com/political-bog-sid-harth/
http://bakulaji.typepad.com/blog/political-bog-sid-harth-17.html
Marandi offers Soren deals to keep BJP out
Ranchi, Hindustan Times
Subhash Pathak, May 12, 2010
First Published: 00:31 IST(12/5/2010)
Last Updated: 00:33 IST(12/5/2010)
There’s a party-pooper lurking in Jharkhand — for the Bharatiya Janata
Party. Jharkhand’s first chief minister and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha
(Prajatantrik) chief Babulal Marandi has approached his old foe
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha chief Shibu Soren with offers to keep the BJP
away. The offers came even as BJP stalwarts Rajnath Singh and Ananth
Kumar were brainstorming in Ranchi to finalise the name of the new
chief minister.
Marandi, it seems, has to settle a score with the BJP.
Beginning his career as a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh pracharak,
Marandi became the BJP state unit chief and in 2000, became chief
minister. But he had to make way for Arjun Munda in 2002 under
pressure from alliance partner Janata Dal (United). Gradually, Marandi
and the BJP drifted apart. And distance bred contempt.
With 11 legislators in the House of 82, Marandi offered support from
outside if Soren struck a deal with the Congress. “We are even ready
help JMM come out of the mess created by the BJP’s lust for power,” he
said.
He also offered a coalition of likeminded parties like the JMM, the
Congress and the JVM(P), which have a total of 43 seats. Already
causing a few raised eyebrows by offering any of his party’s existing
seats for Soren’s election, Marandi proposed that portfolios in the
government could be shared according to the parties’ respective
strength in the House.
The offers come in the wake of Marnadi’s recent assertion that he had
no interest in the chief minister’s chair if the three parties joined
hands.
| Saturday, May 15, 2010
Marathon BJP meet fails to yield result
Kumar Uttam | New Delhi
Jharkhand’s fate continues to hang in balance with the BJP leadership
failing to take any decision on Government formation even after a
marathon meeting that continued till late Friday in the Capital.
Almost two weeks after withdrawing support to the Shibu Soren
Government in Jharkhand, a “divided” BJP is indecisive about forming a
Government with support of the JMM, whose several MLAs have refused to
support a BJP-led Government in the State.
“We have nothing to say. No decision could be taken,” a senior BJP
leader told The Pioneer after the more than six-hour long meeting
attended by BJP chief Nitin Gadkari, former president Rajnath Singh,
general secretary Ananth Kumar and organisational secretary Ramlal and
a couple of other central leaders.
The meeting took place in three rounds. The leaders, who were
confident of finding a solution to the Jharkhand crisis within “a few
days”, were seen avoiding the media throughout the day.
At around 5.30 pm, Gadkari first held a meeting with Ananth and
organisational secretary Ramlal and was soon joined by senior leader
Arun Jaitley. Almost after four hours, they all drove to the residence
of party veteran LK Advani. The leaders, except Jaitley, went back
again to Gadkari's house and held another round of talks for over two
hours but nothing could be decided.
The BJP that was ready to consider JMM's offer to share power for 28
months each found itself caught in an awkward situation on Friday with
at least four MLAs of the JMM demanding that Soren be given the first
chance to form Government.
“We do not mind 28 months each for the JMM and the BJP, but we should
allow Soren to continue and complete the first half of the rule on the
basis of 50:50 formula,” JMM MLAs Champai Soren, Bidyoot Barun Mahto,
Ram Das Soren and Dipak Birua told reporters in Ranchi. All the four
hail from the Kolhan region in Jharkhand and are strong supporters of
Soren.
Sources said the BJP was ready to convey to the JMM that it would not
agree to the power-sharing formula and would consider withdrawal of
support in case the JMM refused to allow a BJP-led Government for the
remaining period of the Assembly. The JMM had earlier claimed that an
agreement reached in Delhi had the consent of both the BJP and JMM
about ruling the State for 28 months each.
However, the BJP maintained that an agreement was reached among the
two parties that it would rule the full term in the State.
Moreover, the BJP is vertically split on the issue of Government
formation and whether or not to have a tribal leader as the Chief
Minister of the “politically instable” State that has seen seven
tribal Chief Ministers in last decade.
While LK Advani and Sushma Swaraj are believed to be of the opinion
that the BJP should not make any effort to form Government with
support of the JMM, particularly after having withdrawn support to the
Soren Government, Arun Jaitley has strongly advocated the need to
install a non-tribal as Chief Minister in case the Government was
formed.
Party sources claimed another round of meeting was expected on
Saturday and a decision could be expected before Gadkari leaves for
two-week long vacations abroad.
The BJP had decided to withdraw support to the Shibu Soren Government
on April 28 after the JMM chief, still an MP, voted against the
Opposition-sponsored cut motions in the Lok Sabha.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/256041/Marathon-BJP-meet-fails-to-yield-result.html
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Protests in Cong over induction of CPM-rejects
VR Jayaraj | Kochi
The State Congress leadership’s in-principle decision to welcome KS
Manoj, former CPI(M) MP from Alappuzha into the party has led to
protests in its youth and student outfits against the induction of
“CPI(M)-rejects”. The national Congress leadership allowed the
induction of Manoj who had quit the CPI(M) four months back, saying he
could not conform to the Marxist principle of adherence to atheism.
Sections in the State Youth Congress and Kerala Students Union have
been vehemently protesting the induction of the CPI(M) deserters or
those who had been expelled from it, ever since former Marxist MP AP
Abdullakutty was fielded as the Congress candidate for Kannur by-
election last year.
They say that this tendency is causing distress among the actual
Congress workers who have made several sacrifices for the party.
The State Congress leadership is under pressure from these
organisations not to allow former Marxist ally PJ Joseph, to enter the
Congress-led Opposition UDF just because he merged his Kerala Congress
group with that of front partner KM Mani’s group.
The Congress leaders are to discuss the matter with Mani on May 27.
State KSU president Shafi Parampil has already raised serious
objections to the induction of Joseph into the UDF. The Manoj issue is
being taken up by the youth wing.
“We have asked the leadership several times why they want to induct
everyone coming out of the CPI(M) into the party but we have not got a
satisfactory answer so far,” said a Youth Congress leader, known to be
close to party president Ramesh Chennithala.
“Last year Abdullakutty, who was thrown out of the CPI(M), walked into
the Congress to easily become a party MLA. Ex-Marxist MP Sivaraman
also is coming in. Now, it is the turn of Manoj. All these people are
taking away positions the loyal partymen should be getting,” he said.
Terming people like Abdullakutty, Sivaraman and Manoj as opportunists,
the Youth Congress leader said that they could not be trusted. “How
can the leadership be sure that these people will stay with the
Congress forever? If they could leave a disciplined party like the
CPI(M) so easily, they could desert the Congress any time. They are
after positions and respectability, and there is no need for us to
become victims to help them get those positions,” he added.
Youth Congress and KSU leaders say that the possibility of KS Manoj
becoming the Congress candidate in Alappuzha in the next Assembly
election could not be ruled out, though the present feeling is that he
would campaign for the party in the next polls.
“The party leadership had made Abdullakutty a candidate in Kannur
within months of his expulsion from the CPI(M). Is there any guarantee
that the same thing will not happen in the case of Manoj, especially
as he belongs to the powerful Latin Catholic community?” asked an aide
of Opposition leader Oommen Chandy.
Manoj, a practising anaesthetist with a Delhi hospital, submitted his
application for Congress membership to Ramesh Chennithala and also
held talks with Chandy. Prior to that, he had met Defence Minister and
Congress Working Committee member AK Antony and Union Minister for
Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi to discuss about his formal entry
into the Congress.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/255929/Protests-in-Cong-over-induction-of-CPM-rejects.html
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Congress prefers President’s rule in Jharkhand
PNS | Ranchi
State Congress president Pradeep Balmuchu has been called by the party
high command in New Delhi.
The State unit has also deferred its plan to meet Governor MOH Farook
on Saturday. Sources said that the party might demand the imposition
of the President’s Rule in Jharkhand.
“There is no end to the political impasse in Jharkhand. Governor must
intervene in this. The BJP is just buying time to delay the
issue,”State Congress spokesperson Radhakrishna Kishore said.
Congress’ ally JVM, on Thursday also demanded the Governor to dismiss
the Shibu Soren government and fresh election.
Sources said that in the wake of the political uncertainty in
Jharkhand the Central Government has received a detailed report of the
State.
Even the central Congress spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed told the
reporters that his party might ask the Governor to use his
constitutional power in the wake of the political crisis.
"For last seven or eight days, there is a situation of standstill in
Jharkhand. This should come to an end. BJP and JMM should give a
Government there as soon as possible. Otherwise Congress may demand
the use of Constitutional powers in the other way," Ahmed was quoted
by the PTI on Friday.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/256002/Congress-prefers-President’s-rule-in-Jharkhand.html
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Marandi hopes JVM conclave to be milestone in Jharkhand politics
PNS | Ranchi
JVM chief Babulal Marandi claimed that two-day mega conclave of his
party will prove a milestone in the politics of Jharkhand.
Addressing the media on Friday he said that the purpose behind holding
such a mega conclave is not to show the strength of the party.
“Jharkhand has been passing through a critical stage of political
uncertainty with frequent changes of Government in the past 10 years.
JVM is the only alternative that has the vision for the State,” he
said.
The conclave will be held on May 22-23 at Kute village situated on the
outskirt of Ranchi. Around 75000 party workers have registered
themselves against where as the party has fixed the target of more
than one lakh.
Marandi said that the conclave will discuss the issue of the political
uncertainty in the State. “As people from different parts of the State
will attend the meeting it will be occasion to know views of different
regions which are guided by different political ideology and
considerations,” Marandi said.
Makeshifts have been erected around 70 hectares of area. The party is
expected to pass political resolution during the conclave.
Marandi said that the conclave will be a kind of direct dialogue with
the party workers. “JVM has to play a major role in Jharkhand in the
coming days and we want to reach at the grass root level,” he said.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Jharkhand knot tightens
DP Sharan | Ranchi
The Nitin Gadkari-led BJP high command is facing a tough test on the
Jharkhand tangle. Central observers Rajnath Singh and Ananth Kumar —
sent to take stock of the political situation in the
State — have virtually engineered a split in the party State unit.
Half a dozen party MLAs questioned the truth behind allowing 12 MLAs
to parade before a few top leaders in Delhi recently, in favour of the
candidature of party MP Arjun Munda for the post of Chief Minister.
Gadkari is reportedly in favour of an amicable solution. He had played
a key role in bringing about consensus among leaders to form a
coalition with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM).
Although Munda loyalists failed to gain access to Gadkari with their
much-acclaimed show of strength, it was made public that they had made
themselves available in Delhi at the behest of the high command.
Of the total 18 party MLAs, the six who did not join hands with Munda
loyalists asked observers why they were not called to Delhi for their
views. The observers’ denial of any invitation has irked the MLAs,
including State party president and Deputy Chief Minister Raghuwar
Das.
Sources suggest that Gadkari would have a tough time in restoring
unity in Jharkhand. They said Das had demanded to know how the MLAs
had surpassed his authority and also denounced the Centre.
Although Das preferred to remain tightlipped on the issue, Gadkari
appears to have been left with no option except to call for an
explanation from Munda and his supporters.
Party sources opined that if the high command succumbed to pressure
from the pro-Munda camp, he would lose the confidence of Das’
supporters, which is vital to maintain a cordial atmosphere in State
politics.
Das told The Pioneer, “The image of the party is above everything
else. The Government is temporary but the party is required to have an
enduring existence. I will never allow the image of the party to be
tarnished whether I am a part of the Government or not.”
He claimed that he had been in the party for more than 30 years and
had faced many ups and downs.
The present imbroglio would also be over with the decision taken by
the high command in the larger interest of the party.
As such, Gadkari is supposed to take the decision to ensure
cooperation from a senior leader such as Das. That would send a
message that the party had honoured the contributions of its cadre.
Moreover, key ally JMM appears to be harbouring the idea of lending
outside support to the BJP-led Government if a CM was imposed by the
BJP high command.
JMM chief and the outgoing CM Shibu Soren told The Pioneer that he
would prefer to be out of the Government while lending support to the
BJP, and keep a close vigil on its functioning, rather than working
under an undeserving head imposed by the BJP high command.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/255637/Jharkhand-knot-tightens.html
Friday, May 14, 2010
Non-political people guiding Gadkari, says Marandi
Vijay Deo Jha | Ranchi
JVM chief Babulal Marandi sits calmly in his official bungalow with
bifocals low on the ridge of his nose; bit quizzical about ‘his BJP’
and ‘this BJP,’ the party he left some years back. He talked to The
Pioneer on Thursday and the discourse soon meandered from current
political impasse in Jharkhand and finally rammed the BJP house
undecided over the fate of alliance and power sharing with the JMM.
“Dekhiye BJP matisunya ho gayi hai, (See BJP is mentally blank.)”
Marandi questions the very wisdom of BJP national president Nitin
Gadkari to announce withdrawal of support to the Shibu Soren
Government only to take it back.
“Gadkariji is guided by non-political people, perhaps. There must be
some non-political persons around him who might have influenced him to
change his mind. They could be anybody,” he does not name, “corporate
honcho, his friends anybody.”
Not ready to subscribe the stated logic of the BJP to withhold the
withdrawal of support to the Soren Government twice within two days in
the past; Marandi argued that the BJP Parliamentary Board must have
discussed pros and cons before taking such a decision.
Biggest part of the blame Marandi put on Gadkari. “I believe Gadkari
must have some soft corners for those who influenced or persuaded him
to change the decision of the party parliamentary board,” he said.
Marandi sounded BJP, the second largest party after the Congress,
“Your decision will ruin the country and the party. If Gadkari can not
think about his party he should at least think about the country.”
In 2003, when Marandi was with the BJP he had advised the party to sit
in the Opposition rather to compromise to form Government. And after
seven years Marandi believes the BJP has been repeating same mistake
to stay in the power somehow and said that even if the BJP forms
Government it will be short-lived bereft of the trust of the people.
“Soren offered unconditional apology after voting. But BJP was in
hurry to announce withdrawal of support…later on it found it an
opportunity to unseat Soren to grab power. Everybody knew Soren is not
going to contest election…BJP could have got the CM post without
loosing its face. Soren could have been convinced for a decent
departure,” Marandi said.
“Alas,” Marandi said, “everybody is pocking fun at Soren now,” as
though he is paying tribute to end of Soren’s political life whom he
considers the tallest tribal leader of Jharkhand.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/255812/Non-political-people-guiding-Gadkari-says-Marandi.html
Friday, May 14, 2010
Decision on Jharkhand CM today, says Gadkari
PTI | Chandigarh
The BJP on Thursday said it will take a final call on the stalemate
over Government formation in Jharkhand after a meeting of senior party
leaders and observers in Delhi on Friday.
“I had only a brief meeting with the party observers in Delhi on
Wednesday as I was flying to Chandigarh. On Friday evening, when I
will return to Delhi, I will be meeting them and other senior
leaders,” BJP president Nitin Gadkari told reporters here on Thursday.
A final call on the issue would be taken after that meeting, he said.
The JMM has been insisting on a rotational power sharing arrangement
with the BJP in Jharkhand which plunged into a political crisis after
the saffron party withdrew support to the Shibu Soren Government in
the wake of the JMM leader voting in favour of the UPA during the cut
motion in Parliament.
The BJP chief said he had raised the issue of “wastage of food grains
worth Rs 58,000 crore in India annually” and accused the Congress-led
UPA of having done nothing to solve the problem.
He sought to know from the Government its plan for augmenting the
storage capacity in the next 25 years and “why there is so much
disparity between the price given to the farmers and the price paid by
the consumers”.
The BJP chief alleged that the UPA Government’s “wrong policies and
bad governance” had created 41 crore more BPL families in the country
and added that the Congress-led regime was only pleasing the chosen
few including big corporates, MNCs and speculators while it had
completely destroyed farmers, middle-class and poor people.
He said presently inflation was around 11 per cent while countries
like Malaysia, Hong Kong and Thailand were having inflation rate of
2-3 per cent and claimed that UPA government had made a mistake by
allowing futures trading in essential commodities.
Asserting that inter-linking of rivers was the only way to deal with
problems of floods at one place and acute shortage of water at others,
he said a strong political will was needed to achieve this.
The BJP leader also said that to increase availability of water,
irrigation, which was a state subject, should be put in the concurrent
list.
Asked if party doors were still open for leaders like Govindacharya,
Kalyan Singh and Uma Bharti, he said they will have to make up their
mind first and only then a decision can be taken.
Referring to a recent spat between two party leaders in Punjab,
Gadkari said strict action will be taken against party leaders who air
their grievances in the media rather than discussing them within the
party.
“Whatever, party men have to say they can say it within the party
platform. Airing grievances in the media will not be tolerated,” he
said, adding disciplinary action will be taken against those found
guilty.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/255825/Decision-on-Jharkhand-CM-today-says-Gadkari.html
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Has BJP suffered loss of face?
DP Sharan | Ranchi
Never before has the Bharatiya Janata Party suffered such a loss of
face as it has on the issue of holding on to power in Jharkhand. The
party’s path to power has indeed been an ordeal. In fact, the sequel
to its abortive attempt to bolster its impartial image in treating
friends and foes alike has taken a thrashing.
Taking exception to the lapses on the part of its key ally in the
State, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, the BJP Parliamentary Board had
resolved to withdraw support to the JMM-led coalition Government in
Jharkhand. The party went out of its way to get its view across to its
supporters that it believed in zero tolerance. Subsequently, it
started losing the impeccable credentials it had gained by dealing a
blow to the JMM, when the party started negotiating for the post of
the Chief Minister.
The BJP did not have a plausible answer — and still does not — to the
shift in its stand for the withdrawal of support that had been
endorsed by none other than its Parliamentary Board. Later, the party
virtually bargained with the JMM to hand over the post of CM to it for
exonerating it for duping it during the vote on the cut motion.
Notwithstanding the fact that the JMM played spoilsport by spiking the
cut motion, it respected the rules of the alliance by tendering an
unconditional apology for its unintended lapse. In order to keep the
alliance intact, the Central Committee of the JMM set an example by
deciding to give up the post of CM for the BJP. The move had an
objective: Ward off the possible threat of imposition of President’s
Rule in the State, according to claims made by the leader of the
legislature party of the JMM, Hemant Soren. Hemant had stated that the
JMM resolved to stand by the BJP to save the State from the curse of
President’s Rule.
Although the JMM’s performance was commendable — indeed, it had no
other option — the multi-pronged strategies it worked out for its
survival appear to be bearing fruit. The present imbroglio in the BJP
and the consequent skirmish among its stalwarts over the CM’s post has
suddenly raised JMM’s stock. The party has regained its place among
the masses ever since the heat of the accusations for confounding the
political crisis in the State has started to singe the BJP.
Unfazed by the contradictory stances of their party, BJP leaders have
been flexing their muscles to take over the CM’s post and have cut a
sorry figure before the party high command. The Central leadership of
the BJP has reportedly taken the matter seriously and these muscle-
flexers are likely to receive an earful from high command. BJP
insiders believe that it would be suicidal if the party succumbs to
the undue pressure mounted by the CM aspirants.
The JMM is likely to regain its lost bargaining power if the CM is
imposed by BJP central leadership without a consensus from coalition
partners. Also, the JMM could keep the proverbial Damocles’ sword
hanging over the BJP to toe its line. The factors that may pose a
threat to a non-consensus candidate in the post of CM will certainly
include the voting on the trust move to be held to prove a majority on
the floor of the house, bickering at the election of the CM after six
months if a Member of Parliament is made CM by the central leadership
of the BJP; and, third, in order to settle scores with the BJP for the
treatment it meted out, the JMM could end the tie-up on one ground or
other.
Former Chief Minister and BJP MP Arjun Munda has been lobbying hard to
step into Shibu Soren’s shoes as the CM in the State, but he is hardly
acceptable to the JMM. Munda who had been in the JMM before joining
the BJP has never missed an opportunity to carry out a tirade against
the JMM leadership.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/255453/Has-BJP-suffered-loss-of-face.html
http://bakulaji.typepad.com/blog/