Giving a dramatic twist to switch over talks and adding fuel to the fire Congress legislator from Jamtara Irfan Ansari on Tuesday met Chief Minister Raghubar Das briefly when the latter was on his way to Birsa Munda airport en route to Delhi.
Though the MlA, who is said to be dissatisfied with his party top brass here, termed the meeting “just a courtesy call”, speculation about his crossing over to the BJP along with a few others gained momentum. “I met him to share some of the problems of my constituency. Nothing more should be read into this,” said Irfan. At the same time, he added that his resentment with the State Congress leaders would be raised with Congress national vice-president Rahul Gandhi in Delhi.
However, his meeting with the top rung Congress leader is yet to be fixed as the entire fleet of the party is busy in Delhi polls. Irfan, when pressed further over changing the party, maintained that he and his family had been old Congress sepoys.
“There is no issue like joining the BJP at the moment. My family has been with the Congress and I just want to improve the functioning of the party in Jharkhand. My father was humiliated and not allowed to meet Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi in Ranchi! I will express my feelings with Rahul Gandhi,” added the MlA.
Media reports suggest that the BJP is looking to improve its tally in the House by taking it to a comfortable majority of its own. In this effort the saffron party is in touch with willing MlAs both from the Congress and the JVM. Besides Irfan Ansari, Congress MlA from Barhi Manoj Kumar Yadav and few others are said to be on its radar.
However, sources in the Congress said that dissatisfaction of the MlAs is more about their personal gains than anything else and they are divided on the issue of crossing over.
“Irfan has put two options before the Congress high command. First, he wants to be designated as legislative party leader in the Assembly. If it is not possible, then his father Furkan Ansari who is an old-time rival of incumbent Pradesh Congress Committee president Sukhdeo Bhagat be made PCC chief. He has resorted to blackmailing tactics sensing the poor situation of the party at the moment,” said a top leader.
Nevertheless Manoj Yadav was also in the race of ClP leader before Alamgir Alam’s selection and holding forte in Delhi. Similarly, Barkagaon MlA Nirmala Devi is reportedly seeking safe passage for her husband Yogendra Sao who is in police net very badly and facing several serious criminal charges.
“They have some personal agendas. It is more a game plan of anti-Bhagat camp. The PCC chief has become unpopular after humiliating defeat in the Assembly polls,” added the leader. Several attempts to contact Bhagat, Manoj Yadav and Furkan Ansari failed.
Jarmundi MlA Badal Patralekh is also doing rounds though he rejected the speculation outrightly. “I even accompanied the PCC chief to Raj Bhawan where we appealed the Governor about early Cabinet expansion. I will remain with the party,” said he. For accomplishing a fruitful defection at least four Congress MlAs out of total six needed to cross over.