As lok Sabha elections inch closer, the spectacle of unpredictable politics is at full play in Jharkhand, a State notorious for throwing strange political permutations and combinations.
In the latest development, the Congress leadership has opened door for wife of ‘tainted’ former Chief Minister Madhu Koda, Geeta Koda. Koda himself was set to join the Congress, but the Grand Old party of India developed cold feet in the last minute. Geeta, who is extending support to the Hemant Soren Government, is likely to join the Congress on January 4 at a function in Ranchi in presence of Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh.
While Koda is now an independent MP from Singhbhum lok Sabha seat, his wife is an MlA from Jagannathpur Assembly seat in West Singhbhum district. Independent MlAs Bandhu Tirkey and Chamra linda are also bracing up to join Congress but a final call has not been taken. Ironically, the Congress, who supported Koda, then an Independent MlA, to run the government from September 14, 2006 to August 23, 2008, was till some time back wary of touching him even from a barge pole.
State Congress president Sukhdeo Bhagat said that she had petitioned to join the Congress and the leadership has given its consent. He, however, said that there is no question of inducting Madhu Koda “for the reason best known to everyone.” When asked whether Koda’s ‘indirect ‘ entry would neutralize the Congress attack on the BJP for its move to have business with former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yedurappa, a senior Congress leader maintained, the law of the land applies to an individual. “So, why should the wife be an untouchable for the misdeeds of her husbandIJ” he asked.
Koda was jailed in a corruption case and for long the Congress had avoided a tie-up even with the JMM as the leadership was wary of its earlier experience of propping up Koda Government in the State. However, the Centre seems to have shed its inhibitions about siding with “tainted” Koda apparently due to political compulsions ahead of next lok Sabha polls in which BJP is posing a tough challenge.
The Congress, according to sources, does not have a winnable candidate in Ho-dominated Singhbhum parliamentary constituency, a seat held by Madhu Koda. Veteran tribal leader Bagun Sumbrai, who represented the seat for a long time, is a spent force now. In the 2009 lok Sabha elections, Koda had polled 2.56 lakh votes, followed by BJP’s Barkuwar Gagrai (1.67 lakh) and Bagun Sumbrai getting only 95,604 votes.
Former Chief Minister Arjun Munda slammed the Congress for the move. “Earlier, the Congress supported Koda, an Independent MlA, to plunder the public coffer. Now, the whole gameplan is clear,” he maintained. The political jibe apart, it might be a smart move for the Koda couple to hold on the constituency. If Koda is convicted in a corruption case in future, he will loose his membership in view the Supreme Court order, which barred the convicted person to contest elections.
Geeta also put up a brave face. “The Congress is not a sinking ship. The result of the Assembly elections in the four states can not be an indicator of the public mood for the parliamentary elections,” she said. Asked, whether she had been tipped to be the party nominee for Singhbhum constituency, she said that she will work as a soldier of the party. “It is for the Congress to decide my future role,” she added.
She also refuted the general perception that the Congress implicated her husband in cases “without any solid proof”.” Has Kodaji ever said soIJ, she shot back. “But then, the BJP could wrest the seat if it counters Koda with the issues, particularly illegalities committed by the Hemant Soren Government in mining,” pointed out senior BJP leader Saryu Roy. Out of six Assembly seats comprising the Singhbhum parliamentary seat, four are held by the BJP, one each by the JMM and Geeta Koda.
Incidentally, the Congress, which has for long been maintaining distance with lalu Prasad’s RJD has gone closer to him in Bihar and is already participating in an alliance government in Jharkhand with JMM and RJD and there are clear indications that the three parties will contest the next lok Sabha polls together with Congress contesting on nine lok Sabha seats, JMM on four and RJD one.