The splendidly named Enos Ekka was, along with Hari Narayan Rai, on the list of MLAs presented by both the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in March 2005 in support of their competing claims of majority in the first ever election to the Jharkhand assembly. After bargaining hard with both sides, they became part of the five independent MLAs — the G5 — who proved crucial to the formation of the BJP-led NDA government of chief minister Arjun Munda. All five became ministers, with Ekka making an impassioned plea on national TV against the “pressures” from the UPA.

Today, Ekka is enjoying his second shot at fame, as the G5 holds the existence of the NDA government in its hands.

Who is Enos Ekka? A first-time MLA from Kolibira in Simdiga district, he gained his clout through government contracts and allying with the Sahus, the powerful business-moneylender community. Sahus cannot take part in direct politics so the tribals usually act as fronts for their business and political activities. Tileshwar Sahu, possessed of a long history-sheet, became Ekka’s brain and backer and, in 2005, Ekka was put up as candidate of the Jharkhand Party, the pioneers of the movement for a separate state.

When the post-poll negotiations began, in the wake of the hung assembly, Jharkhand Party leader N E Horo pledged his MLA’s support to the UPA. But the BJP were a step ahead: Arjun Munda dispatched a helicopter to pick up Ekka from his village. The chopper seated five; 15 excited villagers, including his mother, clambered on, and it took all of Ekka’s persuasive skills to get them out so the chopper could take off.

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