Jharkhand coalition to see MVA-like end?

Tongues were set wagging after the JMM broke ranks to support the NDA presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu in the election

After the collapse of the Maha Vikas Agadhi coalition government in Maharashtra, and trouble brewing in Goa Congress, it seems the BJP is waiting in wings to add Jharkhand to its kitty—as all is not well within the state’s ruling coalition of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Congress, and Rashtriya Janata Dal.

Tongues were set wagging after the JMM broke ranks to support the National Democratic Alliance presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu in the Presidential election, despite attending meetings of Opposition leaders to choose the joint nominee. JMM and Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren are highlighting Murmu’s tribal lineage, and the party is finding it difficult to oppose such a candidate.

Also, Soren is facing heat from multiple sides. He is under the scanner of the Enforcement Directorate, and he has a disqualification petition against him after he, as chief minister, allocated a mining licence to himself.

Also read: Cracks surface in Shiv Sena Parliamentary Party as calls to back Murmu nomination rise

JMM and Congress leaders said there was no trouble in the coalition, and their relationship was solid as rock. However, this is similar to the way events occurred in Maharashtra politics, where the BJP managed to wean away a substantial chunk of Shiv Sena to rebel against the Thackerays—even when the MVA partners kept reiterating that their coalition was under no threat.

There was speculation that some Congress MLAs in Jharkhand were approached by the Bharatiya Janata Party, though there was no official word about it.

Congress leadership was keeping a close watch on the political developments and maintained “everything is in order”, but tension would be rising within the coalition. Some leaders pointed out the JMM’s “unilateral” decision to usurp the only available Rajya Sabha seat for itself, even after Congress president Sonia Gandhi made a request otherwise.

Before the Rajya Sabha elections, Soren met with the Congress president for over an hour, in which the latter tried to impress upon him to allow the Congress to fight the lone seat the coalition could win. However, Soren did not agree and there was a strong resentment in Jharkhand Congress, which wanted to sever ties with the coalition.

Opposition leaders said it would not be that difficult for the JMM to jump ship and join the NDA, as it used to be allied with the BJP. The JMM had left the NDA in 2012, and later joined hands with the Congress and RJD to form the government following the last Assembly elections.