Breaking the jinx when JMM executive president Hemant Soren drove down to JVM chief Babulal Marandi to later’s residence on Thursday morning, the gesture seems to have melted the ice up to some extent. Indications coming in suggest that the youngest Soren scion Basant Soren would be able to pocket two crucial votes of the JVM despite resentments within.
Moreover, the Babulal Marandi headed party, which was scheduled to discuss the matter during its executive committee meeting on Thursday, has deferred it for a day. “Today the issue did not come up for discussion. We would meet again on Friday and take a call,” said JVM general secretary Pradeep Yadav. Marandi and Soren though remained non-committal about any definite give and take and sung beaten track after a closed door meeting.
On the hindsight, sources privy to matter in the party quipped that it would not be possible for the JVM to repeat its 2014 feat. “While the decision would be made on Friday but it is sure that the party would not abstain from voting like it did during the last Rajya Sabha elections. We would vote for sure,” said a top party functionary on the condition of anonymity.
JVM legislative body leader Pradeep Yadav had put strong foot forward opposing Basant Soren while terming him a ‘sand dealer’ and the decision of the party ‘nepotism’. The resentment, expressed by Yadav, was the reason why Hemant Soren walked up to Marandi seeking his party’s support, the scene very rare in the politics of Jharkhand since both the parties do tribal politics and share their hot beds in the Santhal Pargana region. The JVM, on the last occasion, when JMM allied with Congress and RJD for Premchand Gupta, had shown indifference to voting.
“The party does not have the second option this time around. We would not like to be identified as the one easing the way for the BJP. Yes, there is substantial amount of reservation on the name of Basant Soren but we cannot allow the saffron party to walk away with both the seats,” said the leader.
Needing 28 votes to secure a seat in the Upper House, the June 11 election has taken an interesting turn. The BJP, which has placed two candidates into the fray, holds 47 members altogether taking along its ally AJSU. However, the JMM’s nominee till now has been able to secure 19 from his party and seven from the Congress and is in dire need of two more confirmed votes. Though the party can feel confident about Marxist Coordination Committee MlA Arup Chatterjee, one vote may spoil its party in the worst possible scenario.