Five months after Government formation and three after it was last expanded taking the total occupation up to 11, search is again on to fill the lone vacancy existing in the Raghubar Das Cabinet. Informations suggest that pre-poll partner of the BJP, the AJSU, is bargaining tough to get in along with some others.
Sources in the AJSU — the five-MlA party — revealed that formal discussion of its leaders with Chief Minister Raghubar Das and BJP State chief Ravindra Rai had taken place. “We have presented ourselves as a natural claimant to the lone vacant seat citing our support and commitment towards the coalition Government so far. Also, we have made sacrifices when none of our leader could find place during last expansion made and even before that during the polls,” said a top AJSU leader.
Several consultations in this regard have taken place in recent times which include the State BJP president calling on the Chief Minister. Sources privy to the development mentioned that apart from weighting AJSU claims, the BJP is also looking at probable faces within the party to fill the post and make the task complete.
“He has discussed all the possibilities along with Boards and Corporations with the CM. These are preliminary talks and anything can be finalised after further approval from the party high command,” said a BJP leader about the Das-Rai meeting. Moreover names popping up from the BJP for the ministerial position are of Anant Ojha, Manish Jaiswal and Raj Sinha, in case the party manages to overcome AJSU’s pressure.
While the BJP strategists are coming up with a plan to negate the pressure and has referred to AJSU’s stubborn attitude when last expansion was made. The BJP despite all approvals had to drop Hatia MlA Navin Jaiswal’s name from the list of oath takers at the last moment.
Navin Jaiswal had emerged as a blue eyed boy of the BJP for cooking the entire defection plan of six legislators from JVM to the saffron party that provided rare majority to the Raghubar Das Government on its own in the House.
Navin, earlier with the AJSU, had leveled charges against its supremo Sudesh Mahto when he was denied the ticket after the party entered into alliance with the BJP and handed over Hatia seat to the latter. However, rebel Navin managed to win the seat as a JVM candidate but later led the troop of five other JVM MlAs to the BJP. Two of them-Amar Kumar Bauri and Randheer Singh-were rewarded with ministerial positions subsequently.
Though not dependent on its support, AJSU feels strongly about the vacant position. In the meantime, the party is also eyeing on a Rajya Sabha seat for which election can be announced anytime. The BJP would not like to disturb the apple cart before the crucial election for the Upper House.
“The BJP is looking to seal support of the AJSU for Rajya Sabha seat in the lieu of Cabinet berth. However, AJSU is not united on this. Sudesh Mahto is looking for the Rajya Sabha seat for himself and more than ready to leave claim on ministerial position in Jharkhand. But, a top AJSU MlA is looking the other way round,” said an insider.
With least chances of leaving its claim on the Rajya Sabha seat, handing over ministerial berth to the AJSU would be a convenient option for the BJP. Sensing the possibility senior AJSU legislator and former Minister Kamal Kishore Bhagat is camping in Delhi, though on medical grounds.