Smouldering rebellion in JMM patriarch Shibu Soren’s family springing from his daughter-in-law’s longing for power has brought Jharkhand’s precariously surviving BJP-JMM coalition government close to the brink of collapse. Both the
parties are working hard to contain the crisis. Unwilling to remain just an MLA all through her debut term in the Assembly, Sita Soren, widow of the 66-year-old Jharkhand statehood leader’s elder son Durga Soren, caused shivers in the Arjun Munda-led government by reportedly insisting that she be made a minister. While the JMM, which has frequently quelled worrying bursts of ministerial aspirations in its MLAs, was shocked to see Ms Soren being supported by five JMM legislators, the BJP feared a replay of similar sentiments among its discontent MLAs.
With both the BJP and the JMM having 18 MLAs each in Jharkhand’s 81-member Assembly, any change in the Cabinet’s configuration could set off a race among the two parties’ MLAs that could lead to political chaos and eventually the government’s fall. JMM sources said Ms Soren had been upset ever since Gurujee, as Shibu Soren is popularly known in Jharkhand, apparently began promoting his younger son Hemant Soren by appointing him as one of the state’s two deputy chief ministers.
Mr Munda’s efforts to placate Ms Soren, the MLA from Jama constituency in Dumka district, with chairpersonship of the Jharkhand Mines and Mineral Development Corporation (JMMDC) failed. She rejected the proposal and insisted on becoming a minister. This led to disgruntled JMM legislators like senior leader Simon Marandi to raise similar demands.
Besides Ms Soren’s political ambitions, Mr Munda’s handling of the distribution of power in a coalition government is being blamed by leaders of both the parties for the current crisis. “Despite there being nearly 30 vacancies in Jharkhand’s boards and corporations, the government has needlessly delayed appointments and thus fuelled discontent,” said a senior JMM leader.
Efforts by both Shibu Soren and Munda to keep Ms Soren in control backfired as she wrote a letter to President Pratibha Patil complaining against the rampant illegal mining in mineral-rich Jharkhand and also sought action against corruption in the state.