After becoming doubly powerful in the Assembly with 43 BJP legislators in addition to five from the ally AJSU, the Raghubar Das Government is set to steal the show. Weak and internally divided Opposition would be making the task easier for it as all important and quite long Budget Session is going to commence from Friday.
Firstly, JMM, the largest party in the Opposition camp, parted its ways with the six-member Congress despite having similar thoughts over most of the issues. Both the parties are boiling on land acquisition issue, domicile, law and order and horse-trading but feeling jittery in sharing the stage.
The JMM has decided to lend its support to social activist Anna Hazare movement against the land bill whereas the Congress would stage a sit in at Ranchi on March 2 on the issue and others. Congress’ situation deteriorates even further when internal ruptures of the party appeared just before the Session in the worst possible manner.
State Congress president Sukhdeo Bhagat has got no respite altogether despite issuing a clear warning to overstepping MlAs. “I dare Sukhdeo Bhagat to take action against me. What action would he takeIJ What is this indisciplineIJ Just calling the media in the party office and holding press conferences are not going to do things for the Congress. If he has something to do he should work at grass root level and in villages. How long this would continue in the partyIJ I request the president to relinquish his position and make way for new people,” party’s Jamtara MlA Irfan Ansari told The Pioneer when asked about his participation in the legislative body meeting called on Thursday.
Irfan went further on his ‘remove PCC president’ rhetoric and denied having any information about the meeting called. “I met Congress president Sonia Gandhi and would meet Rahul Gandhi after he returns. I am not angry with the party but the person sitting here,” added the warring MlA. Bhagat, who had said in the media to initiate action against such erring elements, retorted in the same language.
“Just wait for sometime. Once the things settle in Delhi (Congress organisational elections are expected in April), you would see what happens to such people. What worse than this would happen to me,” Bhagat said, putting in place the state of the grant old party, especially when it is up against ever strong non-Congress Governments both at the Centre and in Jharkhand.
The infighting apart, emaciated JVM would lick its wounds even in the House. “Defection and horse trading would be our top agenda in the House during the Session. This Government is misusing its position to arm twist the Opposition which is not good for a democracy. Also, we would raise land acquisition and domicile issues,” said Pradeep Yadav before leaving for Delhi.
He would return to attend the Session on Friday. While JMM with 19 MlAs is looking forward to consolidate its vote bank even further in the pretext of land acquisition issue and domicile policy. “The State Government should come up and oppose the move of the Centre on the land acquisition bill presented in Parliament. Also, we would raise the issue of continuing recruitment without putting in place the domicile policy,” said party spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya.
Indifferent from all this, the ruling lot is firm on its agenda. “Development and good governance are the topmost priorities of the Government. We would not compromise on those. The Opposition is raking up non-issues and would be given a fitting reply in the House,” said Ranchi MlA and Minister CP Singh before going into the meeting called at Chief Minister Raghubar Das residence in the evening.