Fleeing MlAs of Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM) when the Assembly polls are round the corner may force the party to rethink over forging alliance. Though the Babulal Marandi-led party has maintained so far and gave the impression that it is readying itself for all the 81 seats, insiders say that the issue would figure at the executive committee meeting scheduled for August 2-3.
“Earlier, the party officially had maintained that it would contest all the seats during the polls. But following the recent developments the issue of whether we should enter into an alliance in the State would come for discussion with all prominence,” said JVM general secretary Praveen Singh on Thursday.The change of stance is the resultant of recent rush the party is witnessing towards the BJP when four JVM sitting MlAs — Chandrika Mahtha, Nirbhay Shahabadi, Samresh Singh and Jaiprakash Bhokta parted their ways and joined the saffron fold. It is feared that the ‘mad rush’ would continue with Phulchand Mandal, Nizamuddin Ansari and couple of others following the suit.
Chances of the JVM entering into a coalition gets some boost with Chief Minister and JMM leader Hemant Soren’s reaction following the development. The CM, a staunch supporter of countering the saffron surge in unison manner by taking along Congress, RJD and others, said on Thursday that the BJP was collecting “garbage” in the form of the deserting leaders. “This can be considered as an offer for the JVM to come and join the coalition,” said a top JMM functionary.
Moreover, the jolted JVM is weighting another strategy which also leads to unifying forces in the form of regional satraps. leaders like Arup Chatterjee, Sudesh Mahto, Bandhu Trikey, Chamra linda, Geeta Koda may be given walkover by not fielding candidates against them. The party thinks that with this it would make the BJP suffering on at least 10-12 seats which may prove fatal for the ‘lotus’ in its way of blooming in Jharkhand. Pradeep Yadav also seemed convinced when he said that understanding was possible “if anything substantial comes as offer.”
“Rethinking the strategy is the demand of the hour. If entering into any coalition is not possible then we should back strong leaders to check the BJP. If it is not done the national parties sitting in Delhi would succeed in ruining the regional parties like us,” said a JVM legislator revealing the line of action of the party in the “difficult time.”
For immediate recuperation, the party has brought Satyanarayan Das of CPI-Ml to field from Jamua constituency as replacement of renegade Chandrika Mahtha. Names for the others such as Kuldeep Ganjhu for Jaiprakash Bhokta and noted MCC leader Anand Mahto for Phulchand Mandal have been finalised.
“These MlA leaving our fold is not a big loss for the JVM. All the leaders were not sure about their win. We have our replacements ready except Samresh Singh (Bokaro). Nevertheless he had lost his credibility in public by becoming a habitual traitor,” added Praveen Singh.The posturing may be there but the dissidents have at the same time caused a lot of discontentment within the party. legislative body leader Pradeep Yadav is under fire for working in autocratic manner. “He made loud claims about going alone which fueled the fear of losing in many and they left. He should resign as leader of legislative body by owing moral responsibility of MlA quitting the party,” said Singh.