JMMS workers resign en masse

JAMSHEDPUR, NOV 14: Office-bearers of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha Soren, including vice-president Suraj Mandal, have resigned en masse from ...

JAMSHEDPUR, NOV 14: Office-bearers of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha Soren, including vice-president Suraj Mandal, have resigned en masse from their posts, bringing to the fore sharp differences between Mandal and party chief Shibu Soren.

The resignations were submitted to party president Soren after a marathon executive meeting here on Saturday that discussed the possible expulsion of Mandal, who had been served with a show-cause notice for alleged anti-party activities, from the party for six years, JMM-S secretary Sunil Mahato said on Sunday. 8220;Since the meeting could not reach a consensus, Soren was authorised to take any action against Mandal as he may think fit,8221; Mahato, who also resigned, said.

He said deliberations were held on suspending Mandal for six years from the party on charges of trying to split the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha JMM. When contacted, Mandal confirmed in Ranchi having received the show-cause notice and said the charges levelled against him could not be substantiated.

Mandal said themeeting resolved to submit collective resignations to revamp the party structure and empower Soren to nominate new office-bearers at his discretion. Mandal said he had already sent his explanation to the party chief.

When asked, he said he had no knowledge about a move to expel him from the party for six years. The meeting also reviewed the party8217;s poll debacle in the recent Lok Sabha elections. Mandal said distribution of party8217;s tickets for the polls and other directives were issued by Soren himself.

Mandal said the meeting also resolved to call a central committee meeting of JMM-S at Dhanbad on December 5-6 to discuss the party8217;s future course of action and to announce the names of the new office bearers of the party. The meeting also stressed reunion with JMM-Ulgulan to strengthen the regional party, he said.

The JMM-S executive unanimously agreed that without unification of other Jharkhand factions, JMM-S would find it difficult to resurrect itself, he added. Sudhir Mahato, chief executive ofJMM-Ulgulan and former MLA, told PTI that a formal offer from JMM-S for unification had not yet been received by the party.

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He said JMM-U would consider tagging on with JMM-S only after the formation of the new executive body of JMM-S. 8220;It is necessary for Jharkhand forces to unite to keep away national parties like BJP and Congress from the region,8221; he added.