RANCHI, JULY 26: The issue of Jharkhand statehood is likely to cause a split in Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) in the region. A section of partymen from the region had strongly reacted to party member Raghuvansh Prasad Singh's statement opposing the creation of Jharkhand. This section of the RJD had categorically said that they would be forced to revolt against the partyline if any attempt was made to obstruct the state's formation.According to political observers here the RJD was faced with `a-do-or-die' situation where any slackness on part of the party in supporting the statehood issue might prove `suicidal'. The party might even lose whatever little of the tribal support it had, observers believed. Even the Congress, which had been closely supporting the RJD in Bihar, is trapped between the `devil and the deep sea' on the Jharkhand issue.But the worst affected were the 11 legislators from this tribal belt, who were members of the state council of ministers. For them a withdrawal of support to the RJD would mean relinquishing their ministerial berths, while continuing to support the RJD might hamper their future electoral prospects in case the RJD obstructed the introduction of the Bihar State Reorganisation Bill 2000 on the floor of the Parliament today.Meanwhile RJD senior leader and Minister of State for Road Transport Yamuna Prasad said that the party's decision to oppose the issue might have a direct fallout on the prospects of the Rabri Devi government in Bihar. Not favouring the obstruction of the Bill he said that he did not agree with the RJD parliamentary party's decision on this matter. Continuity of the Rabri Devi government depended on the action likely to be taken by the Congress, he admitted. The RJD men from Jharkhand had urged the party leadership to reconsider the decision taken by the parliamentary party and to support the formation of Jharkhand which had been a popular demand in the 18 districts of south Bihar. The party would committ hara-kiri if it opposed the Bill, said senior RJD leader Uday Shanker Ojha.Meanwhile, Congressmen strongly reacting to the RJD's statement had urged the party high command to withdraw support to the Rabri Devi government in Bihar. A request in this regard was faxed to All India Congress Committee chief Sonia Gandhi by Jharkhand Regional Congress Backward Cell.Reportedly the Backward Cell leader Vijay Sahu, had urged the party high command to direct the Congress legislators to tender their resignation in protest against the RJD's volte face on the statehood issue. The RJD's statement against Jharkhand had also been opposed by former high court judge Justice L P N Sahdeo. He said the Lok Sabha Speaker must not spare those mps who obstructed the introduction of the Bihar State Reorganisation Bill, as the decision to table it had been taken by the members before the speaker during the last budget session.
