Despite leaders of the BJP and the JMM confidently assuring stability of the new coalition government under Arjun Munda and its dedication for Jharkhand’s speedy development, the Opposition parties in the state are unconvinced about the new government’s longevity and professed good intentions.
The Congress and the Babulal Marandi-led Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM) have alleged that a “secret deal” was struck between the JMM and the BJP to resurrect their counterproductive and dead alliance government and predicted that this deal would be exposed soon. The Congress and the JVM, who contested the Assembly polls last year in alliance, had earlier wanted to form a government with the JMM support, but stopped primarily due to Mr Marandi’s Opposition to any tie-up with the JMM.
“Jharkhand’s people want to know what transpired between the BJP and the JMM in the past two and half months. The people have a right to know what finally brought the two parties together,” said Mr Marandi, who was Jharkhand’s first chief minister as head of a BJP-led government between 2000 and 2003.
Congress leader and Union food processing minister Subodh Kant Sahay alleged that the BJP and the JMM decided to form a government again due to their rising fears of the stringent anti-corruption drives launched by Jharkhand governor M.O.H. Farooq since President’s Rule was imposed on June 2.
“A big deal has been struck in Delhi between the BJP and the JMM to form this government. People in this government have made a contract with their central leaders in Delhi to supply parts of the booty they make by looting Jharkhand,” said Sahay to a local newspaper. “The BJP and JMM were afraid of the anti-corruption drives run by the governor. This is a discordant alliance in government that will not last long,” he added.
While the RJD held the Congress responsible for the formation of the BJP-JMM government, the CPI(M-L) said the Munda government was formed by private interests of some parties coming together and that it would fail in ensuring all-round development in Jharkhand.