In sorrow and solitude, Soren stranded in political no-man’s land

Before the Assembly elections, Soren had trashed both opinion and exit polls. For, only 10 months ago, the UPA had won 13 of the 14 Parliamentary seats in Jharkhand. The JMM alone had bagged four.

And this time, Soren felt ‘‘the pollsters had gone horribly wrong.’’ He was certain the JMM would romp home in 30 of the 81 Assembly segments.

But, as he left Raj Bhavan last night, he feared the JMM might lose even its structural solidity now. In Jharkhand, where money travels faster than ideology, Soren’s supporters have already begun grumbling that ‘Dishom Guru’ cannot deliver.

Soren though is still convinced that Arjun Munda’s government is too fragile. He believes the expensive Independents will bring it down. ‘‘I am completely focused on Jharkhand politics. This is a mandate against the NDA combine. They got only 36 seats. The Opposition should have formed the government,’’ he says.

In fact, he has told party functionaries to do everything to keep the UPA MLAs together. And, he is staying on in Jharkhand, for now.

Soren had given up his Union Cabinet berth, after being sworn in as Coal Minister for the second time, only to concentrate on Jharkhand. Now, he won’t say whether he wants that berth again, though his supporters insist he would need it to benefit the state.

This afternoon, Soren rushed to United Goan Democratic Party leader, Joba Manjhi’s house for lunch—a PR exercise to keep everybody happy. In the evening, he was planning a dinner for the JMM workers but he may also invite all UPA leaders and legislators. Discussions for a future strategy would be taken up later. There was yet another dinner at RJD leader Girinath Singh’s house.

Last night’s setback notwithstanding, the UPA’s doing a lot to stick together. Some advisors have suggested that Soren should bide time for there was every possibility of a ‘‘backlash’’ against the Munda government if it did not prove to be stable.

But, at the end of it all, Soren’s is the sad story of a legend in decline. He is now a folk hero who used to be worshipped once. Not many remember him as one who made the separate state of Jharkhand possible. Not many remember his fight against the mahajans (money-lenders)—Soren’s father was killed by them.

His supporters, meanwhile, are taking things stoically, even as news filtered in today that a minister in the eight-day government, Kamalesh Singh of the NCP, may join the new NDA government. Singh had stayed away from yesterday’s Assembly session.

Shailendra Bhattacharjee, Soren’s trusted lieutenant is introspective: ‘‘Ticket distribution went wrong.’’ Says Champai Soren, JMM MLA from Saraikila, ‘‘We would never have been able to spend so much money on the Independents.’’ Dulal Bhuiyan, JMM MLA from Singhbhum, is hopeful: ‘‘Politics is without full stops. Shibu Soren can always come up with surprises.’’

But Soren is clear: ‘‘It won’t matter. Such a coalition (NDA’s) will collapse because of its own contradictions.’’

However, had Soren not been doubtful about his own political future, he would have been sensitive to the feelings of some of the senior JMM leaders regarding dynastic politics. He would not have blatantly promoted the political career of his two sons, Durga and Hemant. Both lost—Hemant to a major dissident, Stephen Marandi.

Soren had to swallow his pride, bring Marandi back to his camp and depend on him for everything during the tumultuous week he held on to power.

In fact, over the last week, Soren had kept company only with outsiders like Joba Manjhi and Bandhu Tirkey.

Of course, not all his friends in the JMM are happy about it and if Soren seriously allows a democratic brainstorming in the party, he will have to gulp down a lot of vitriol.

Soren would not answer any question on why he can’t be the Laloo of Jharkhand. His supporters point out that the tribal population in Jharkhand had come down to 27 per cent and Soren could never control the entire state without backing from ‘‘outsiders’’.

If not a full stop, last night’s directive that he resign has certainly inserted a pause in his bumpy political career. Soren has to recast both his politics and his corrupt image if he wants to rule Jharkhand.