With Jharkhand poised to get a new Government, the BJP and JVM will be competing for the first time to grab the Opposition space.
Jharkhand Vikas Morcha’s Babulal Marandi had deserted the BJP in 2006 and forged an alliance with the Congress to fight the Assembly elections in 2009. It sat with the Congress in the Opposition as BJP was part of two Governments all these years. JVM legislature party leader Pradeep Yadav often outdid Opposition leader from Congress Rajendra Prasad Singh with high-decibel vocals and perfect homework.
“The scenario will change now,” said BJP MlA Raghuwar Das, one of the contenders for the Opposition leader’s post. “BJP being the largest party will get the main Opposition’s post and we will not allow the JVM to hog the limelight. We will expose the JVM along with ruling parties on several issues,” he added pointedly.
Interestingly, the AJSU Party will be sitting in the Opposition with full strength of six MlAs. AJSU has been part of all Governments since creation of Jharkhand, except the one led by Shibu Soren in 2008. During the Madhu Koda regime, AJSU MlA Chandra Prakash Chaudhary had been a Minister while Sudesh Mahto sat in the Opposition.
“Though this Government will have no public mandate, we will play the role of a constructive and responsible Opposition. The JVM cannot play the role of a responsible Opposition as it is a personality-based party. BJP is a democratic party and has a training to be in the Opposition since its inception,” Das pointed out.
“We know the Congress has extended support to facilitate plundering of the State’s natural resources. But we will not allow it. We will take support of all Opposition parties to stop loot of public exchequer and natural resources,” he said.
Das, who had been Deputy Chief Minister in 2010, added that the BJP would extend support to the Government if it takes any decision in the public interest. BJP State president Ravindra Rai said the party will find common issue and boycott along with the JVM, though he didn’t see any meeting ground for the BJP and JVM outside the House. Pradeep Yadav, however, said BJP has no moral right to be Opposition. “BJP has been part of the previous Government and is responsible for installation of this Hemant’s Government, as also the messy state of affairs. BJP, despite being in the Opposition, will remain part of the ruling combination only,” he said.
“Both BJP and Congress did not want fresh mandate, which they felt would benefit JVM,” he pointed out. “Had the BJP put the condition of dissolving the House for getting approval of President’s Rule in Jharkhand, the motion would not have gone through Rajya Sabha. AJSU also cannot play the role of an Opposition as it is not an issue-based party,” Yadav added.
He said JVM would keep equidistance from Congress and BJP. “Both play politics for getting power in Delhi. Ek kuan hai, toh dusra khai (If one is a well, the other is a gorge),” he said. AJSU chief Sudesh Mahto said the party was committed to serve people’s interests. “We will always be on the alert and oppose vehemently if the Government takes any anti-people and illegal decision,” he said.
“We don’t have any hope from the proposed Government as it is going to be installed to fight the lok Sabha elections only,” was Mahto’s take on Hemant’s dispensation.