Cong divided over suppport to RJD on Jharkahand issue

This stand of the RJD is against the official line of the Congress. The latter was fully in favour of creation of Jharkhand and that too without any package. A group of ministers led by Bagun Sombrai, who have been pressing for creation of separate state, felt that any demand for a package will simply be perceived as an attempt to create hurdles in the state’s creation by local people. This might endanger the future of the Congress in tribal region.

However, the Congressmen from North and Central Bihar, who actually control and party, are not in favour of supporting the Bill in its present form and would prefer to threw their weight behind Laloo Prasad. They are scared of their own future and hold that this would erode the remaining base of the party.

State leaders have already left for Delhi for mustering the support of the All India Congress Committee on this issue. PCC chief Chandan Bagchi and CLP leader Furkan Ansari have been briefed to impress upon the AICC chief to support their stand. Literally, this would amount to ignoring the stand of the tribal Congress leaders.

Ministers from the tribal belt are also planning to go to Delhi and request the high command not to support the RJD line. A senior leader confided that some Congress leaders who were close to Laloo Prasad “were working over to muster support. But we will request the high command to stand by its earlier resolution”. He said, “They have finished the Congress in North and Central Bihar and now were planning to annihilate it in South Bihar as well. The leadership must take a pragmatic stand and see that tribal interest is not harmed.”