BJP entrusts Munda to woo JMM, Ajsu

SUMAN K. SHRIVASTAVA

Ranchi, June 23: The BJP central leadership has entrusted chief minister Arjun Munda to convince his two regional allies, the JMM and Ajsu, to vote for its presidential nominee P.A. Sangma, holding up yet another "friendship test" for Shibu Soren and Sudesh Mahto.

Close on the heels of the BJP's humiliation in the Rajya Sabha elections and thereafter the Hatia bypolls at the hands of the two regional satraps, sources said the party's central leadership had asked Munda to use Sangma's tribal credentials as a means to woo the JMM and the Ajsu.

"The BJP is supporting Sangma to address tribal concerns," iterated state BJP president Dineshanand Goswami, who discussed the issue with the chief minister yesterday.

In an effort to woo smaller parties, Sangma has claimed that he was a candidate of a "national tribal front" rather than a single party. Therefore, he believed, a victory in the Presidential race would be a "big message to more than 100 millions tribals of the country" and help address issues like Naxalism and insurgency.

Both the Ajsu and the JMM have scheduled meetings of their MLAs tomorrow to thrash out the issue.

Mahto claimed they would be taking a broader view of the presidential election and not be bogged down by "narrow considerations," indicating that the BJP's 'tribal" card may not work with them.

But, it is clear that Soren is faced with a tougher choice. On the one hand, he enjoys good relations with UPA candidate Pranab Mukherjee. On the other, he never loses an opportunity to espouse tribal causes at the national level.

Mukherjee has already reached out to both Guruji and Mahto, seeking their support for himself. Babulal Marandi's JVM, with 11 MLAs and 2 MPs, has already pledged support to him.

Deputy chief minister Hemant Soren admitted his party faced a difficult choice. "We are holding a meeting of party MLAs and core committee members tomorrow to take a considered view on the issue," he told The Telegraph.

During the last Rajya Sabha elections, the BJP had initially insisted that the JMM formally join the NDA fold in return for support for its nominee Sanjeev Kumar. The March 30 elections were later countermanded by the Election Commission and the JMM nominee won in the subsequent vote held on May 3.

JMM did not need to join the NDA formally.

JMM central organisational secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya maintained that that the JMM was neither a part of the UPA nor NDA which had heightened its dilemma on the presidential elections.

"We are running the government along with the BJP out of compulsion. But it is our responsibility to make common cause on tribal causes. We have supported such a movement in Darjeeling and other places. At the same time, Guruji maintains good rapport with Pranab Mukherjee, who happens to be a mature politician," he added.

What he didn't say was that in 2010, the JMM burnt its fingers by supporting the UPA in a cut motion in the Lok Sabha, prompting the BJP to force then chief minister Shibu Soren to resign.

For the Presidential elections, the total value of votes of Jharkhand's elected representatives is 28,416, barely 3 per cent of the electoral college. Ultimately, it is the consideration that Jharkhand's votes may have more value for Sangma than Mukherjee, who is a clear front-runner, that may propel both JMM and the Ajsu to back a tribal candidate and stay true to their core political constituency irrespective of whether he wins or not.