An internal discord between the Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has caused a rift in the ruling alliance in Jharkhand. Several Congress leaders have confirmed that the party is working to strengthen itself from the ground level up as Congress workers do not want to be dependent on an alliance in the future and want a separate identity for the 2024 elections. However, for now, Congress has to depend on the alliance.
“Congress cannot be dependent on the alliance, we are strengthening the party. In every zilla, we have four to five Assemblies. In the future, we want to establish an independent identity rather than depend on the alliance. In the long run, we want a separate identity,” a senior Congress member told The Daily Guardian on the condition of anonymity.
The internal feud commenced when JMM chief Hemant Soren didn’t respond to AICC in-charge Avinash Pandey demanding the formation of a coordination committee and a common minimum programme (CMP). But Soren was unhappy with the idea of framing a CMP, a coordination committee, and adjusting Congress workers in a 20-point programme implementation committee. Several Congress members accused Hemant Soren of sidelining the Congress. It has been reported that JMM initially agreed to a CMP and the coordination committee, but after forming the government, it refused to discuss the matter. As per various reports, Avinash Pandey has asked his party MLAs not to meet Hemant Soren for the next two months as Pandey is annoyed that the CM didn’t meet him during his two-day visit to Jharkhand last week. However, Avinash Pandey refuted such rumours and confirmed to this paper, “We are strengthening the party and the alliance. We are establishing wings at every level.”
The Congress has appointed observers in all the districts of Jharkhand to strengthen the wing. For instance, Rajesh Ranjan in Sahebganj, Tanvir Alam in Pakur, Ashok Kumar Singh in Dumka, Shamsher Alam in Jaamtara, Jawahar Mahwa in Devghar, Rajendra Das in Godda, Baljit Singh Bedi in Koderma, Vinay Singh Dipu in Hazaribagh, Sunil Singh in Ramgarh, Ashok Yadav in Chatra, Sabana Khatun in Girdih, Ravindra Kumar Jha in Bokaro, Ashok Srivastava in Dhanbad, C.P. Santan in Purvi Singhbhum, Sunny Toppo in Saraikhela Kharwasa, Josai Mardi in Paschim Singhbhum, Mahendra Mishra in Ranchi, Ajay Singh in Ranchi Dehat, Niranjan Paswan in Khuti, Ajay Nath Shahdev in Gumla, Subhash Naag in Simdega, Chandrashekhar Shukla in Garwah and so forth.
However, sources close to the party alleged that MLAs Irfan Ansari and Deepika Pandey Singh work for themselves rather than the Congress. According to some sources, Irfan Ansari is upset with Congress leader and Health Minister Banna Gupta over his alleged proximity to the BJP. Also, several party members say that do not want to give a chance to anyone who has been a close aide to R.P.N. Singh, who joined the BJP in January. Banna Gupta had claimed in February that the Congress was being marginalised by the Jharkhand JMM-led coalition government. Gupta further accused the chief minister of wanting to “politically end” the party in the state. In an event, Congress’ three-day Chintan Shivir, both Banna Gupta and Deepika Pandey Singh had accused Hemant Soren of “politically finishing” the party and “taking all the credits” for the work done in the state.
Party leaders are speculating that Rajesh Thakur may try to destabilise the party. A senior Congress official told this correspondent, “Rajesh Thakur is in touch with R.P.N. Singh, there is a chance that the party may fall soon.” Also, speaking about CM Hemant Soren, he said, “Hemant Soren has his problems to deal with like land scams, family issues, and many more. But just like every other party, Congress is trying to ensure that in the 2024 elections, the party gains more seats.” It has been witnessed that two JMM MLAs—Lobin Hembrom and Sita Soren—are opposing JMM on different issues. In the 81-member Assembly, the ruling alliance of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), the Congress, and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has 47 legislators. The JMM has 30 legislators, Congress has 16, and the RJD has one.
Meanwhile, after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) started investigating a case pertaining to a marketplace tender of 2020 in which Jharkhand Cabinet Minister Alamgir Alam had been named, the Congress accused the Central government of misusing the Central agencies.
