The Hindu : Centre awaiting Jharkhand Governor's report

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Mar 15, 2003

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National

Centre awaiting Jharkhand Governor's report

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI MARCH 14. With uncertainty looming large over the fate of the Babulal Marandi Government in Jharkhand following a revolt by allies and developments in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday, top leaders of the BJP and allies — the Janata Dal (United) and the Samata party— met here tonight to find a way out.

Aware that the dissidence Mr. Marandi had been facing for the past few weeks has taken a turn for the worse, there was a view that the matter should be left to the discretion of the Governor who would be making an on-the-spot assessment of the situation. What appears is that the BJP and the Samata leadership here are not in a mood to give up on the Marandi Government that easily. At the same time, imposition of Central rule in Jharkhand was also explored, provided that the Governor recommends such a course.

Apparently, the Central leadership would prefer to wait for the assessment of the Governor, Rama Jois, who has called for the records of the Assembly proceedings and on the political situation in Ranchi.

Even though the JD (U) and that Samata party MLAs were in the forefront in rocking the Marandi Government, the central leaders of these parties tonight decided to sail along with the BJP.

It was understood that the leadership felt that since the Governor has sought the records, either group should ascertain his views in the wake of conflicting claims.

The dissidents have claimed that the cut motions proposed by them was carried by a voice-vote in the Assembly yesterday, which is being challenged by the official camp. The NDA and the BJP leadership in Delhi were convinced that the Marandi Government still enjoyed majority and asserted that efforts were on to woo the dissidents back into the official fold.

Attempts by the NDA leadership to take corrective steps fell through with the dissident MLAs and Ministers belonging to the allies breaking ranks.

The BJP leaders, including the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, the BJP president, M. Venkaiah Naidu, the Union Ministers from Jharkhand, Yashwant Sinha and Karia Munda and the Law Minister, Arun Jaitley, the Union Food Minister and Janata Dal(United) chief, Sharad Yadav, the Railway Minister and the Samata leader, Nitish Kumar, and the Samata general secretary, Shambu Shrivastwa, attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, the CPI has demanded that the Jharkhand Chief Minister, Babulal Marandi, step down. The party said the Chief Minister should follow democratic norms since his Government lost a money bill on the floor of the House.

"The BJP cannot go on violating all conventions and practices,'' the CPI general secretary, A.B. Bardhan, said here today.

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