Jharkhand: Babulal Marandi withdraws support from Hemant Soren govt, says Congress poaching his MLAs.

Source – indiatoday.in

Nearly a month after joining hands with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and the Congress to be part of the Hemant Soren-led government in Jharkhand, the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) (JVM) today walked out of the alliance and accused the Congress of trying to poach its MLAs.

In a letter addressed to Chief Minister Hemant Soren, JVM president Babulal Marandi said the Congress, which is part of the ruling alliance in Jharkhand, is trying to break the JVM.

The letter read: “Our party Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) had on December 24, 2019, gave a letter of unconditional support to the government under your (Hemant Soren) leadership. But the Congress, which is a part of the UPA, is trying to break our MLAs, which the newspapers have published prominently today. In this context, our party has reviewed its support and decided to withdraw support to the UPA government under your leadership.”

This announcement came a day after two JVM MLAs-Pradip Yadav and Bandhu Tirkey-met Congress president Sonia Gandhi, fuelling speculations that they are set to join the Congress. The two also met Rahul Gandhi and Congress Jharkhand in-charge RPN Singh.

The JVM had won three seats in the recently held Jharkhand assembly election. If Yadav and Tirkey join Congress, Marandi will be the lone JVM MLA in Jharkhand.

Speculations are also rife that the JVM may merge with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is the main opposition party in the state at present.

However, JVM’s withdrawing support will not have any impact on the government as it has 47 MLAs in the 81-member house.

“Our party has extended support to the Hemant Soren government. But its coalition partner, Congress is attempting to poach our MLAs. In view of that, the party has decided to withdraw its support,” JVM general secretary Saroj Singh told reporters in Ranchi.

He said the party has also decided to remove Pradip Yadav as the legislature party leader in the state assembly and sent a letter to the Speaker in this connection.

On the two MLAs meeting Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, Congress spokesman Alok Kumar Dubey told PTI, “The two leaders got the blessings of our senior leaders. They are welcome to join the party.”

“After consultations with Jharkhand Congress president Rameshwar Oraon and CLP leader Alamgir Alam further actions will set in motion,” he said.

While Tirkey, MLA from Mandar in Ranchi district, was expelled by the party on Tuesday last, Yadav, elected from Poreyahat in Godda district, is still its leader.

The development has come at a time when speculation is rife in the media that JVM-P may merge with the saffron party and Marandi could be named as new leader of the BJP legislature party in the Jharkhand assembly.

Significantly, the 25-member BJP legislature party has not yet named its leader.

The JVM, however, has denied the media reports that the party was heading to merge with the BJP.

Jharkhand: In first cabinet decision, Hemant Soren govt to quash Pathalgadi sedition cases against tribals.

Source – timesnownews.com

Ranchi: Hours after taking oath as the Jharkhand chief minister for a second time, Hemant Soren cabinet decided to withdraw all sedition cases filed against tribals during the Pathalgadi movement. Tribals had carried out a massive protest in Jharkhand over Raghubar Das-led BJP government’s decision to amend Chhota Nagpur Tenancy Act (CNT) and Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act, 1949 in 2018.

Groups linked to the Pathalgadi movement are active across four districts of Jharkhand – Khunti, Gumla, Simdega and West Singhbhum. All these villages come under the Maoist-infested districts.Volume 0% 

Pathalgadis have erected giant plaques declaring their Gram Sabha as the only sovereign authority and have also banned “outsiders”, who they call “Diku” in their native language, from entering the area.

The plaque says that Pathalgadis believe in the Constitution but will follow only their Gram Sabha diktats.

Chhota Nagpur Tenancy (CNT) Act 1908 and Santhal Pargana Tenancy (SPT) Act, 1949, safeguard tribal tenancy rights and in June 2018, the movement erupted in Khunti, 40 km south-east of state capital Ranchi after police thrashed a gathering of Munda villagers over allegations of raiding the house of former Lok Sabha deputy speaker and BJP MP Karia Munda and abducting three security guards.

Khunti is historically linked to the Birsa movement led by tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda.

The entire Opposition, especially the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), had protested against the amendments.

Soren’s oath-taking ceremony was attended by a galaxy of opposition leaders and members from the regional parties and the 44-year-old tribal leader was sworn in as the 11th chief minister of the state by Governor Droupadi Murmu.

Other decision taken in the Cabinet meeting chaired by Soren and attended by three of his ministers included clearing arrears of para-teachers, contractual employees, Anganwadi workers and student scholarships. Apart from these new directives, orders were also issued to fill-up vacancies in government departments.