Jharkhand Speaker -- Short on numbers, Opp paves way for NDA candidate

Jharkhand Speaker -- Short on numbers, Opp paves way for NDA candidate
MANOJ PRASAD

RANCHI, NOV 21: Jharkhand Chief Minister Babulal Marandi may not yet have proved his majority in the Assembly, but with the Opposition withdrawing its candidate for the Speaker's post less than a day before the election, the chances of the NDA government failing the trust vote on Thursday are virtually non-existent.

For most of Tuesday, political circles were talking of the contest between JD(U) MLA Inder Singh Namdhari and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha MLA Teklal Mahato, both of whom filed their nomination papers today. While Namdhari was the unanimous choice of MLAs supporting the NDA, Mahato was scouring the Opposition for support in the afternoon. But Opposition Congress MLA Pradeep Balmuchu and CPI MLA Bhuneshwar Mehta had indicated that they were not supporting Mahato. ``When numbers are not in his favour, Mahato should not have entered the fray,'' said Mehta, echoing Balmuchhu's view.

But JMM Legislative Party leader Stephen Marandi -- tipped to be Leader of the Opposition -- declared: ``Come what may, Mahato will not withdraw.''

By evening though, things had changed. Having read the writing on the wall, Mahato withdrew his nomination.

When contacted, JMM chief Shibu Soren admitted to The Indian Expres: ``Jab number hi nahin hain to kya karte? When we didn't have the numbers, what could we have done?''

The turn of events will no doubt come as a boost to the NDA which has the requisite majority with the help of Independents.

Earlier in the day, 80 of 82 MLAs (one seat is vacant), including nominated MLA F. Glaudstein, were administered the oath of office and secrecy by pro-tem Speaker Bisheshwar Khan. The lone absentee was Independent MLA Madhaolal Singh. Singh is among 44 MLAs (BJP -- 32, Samata -- 5, JD(U) -- 3, UGDP -- 2 and Independents 2) who have announced their support to Marandi.

When asked why Singh did not take oath, BJP Jharkhand unit spokesperson U.S. Kedia said he didn't know. But a CPI(M) leader who claimed to be an old acquaintance of Singh, said: ``The bargaining has not ended yet.''

Despite the fact that Marandi enjoys a majority in the Jharkhand House -- even without Singh's support -- hectic backroom manoeuvers were on as Marandi is learnt to be ``determined'' to muster the support of 50 MLAs. ``This possibility cannot be not ruled out, given the fact that he has got feelers from a section of Rashtriya Janata Dal MLAs willing to cross over,'' said a Marandi aide.