Race for Jharkhand assembly speaker picks up speed

Many contenders including Congress are claiming to the coveted post

After the swearing in ceremony of Jharkhand's ninth chief minister Hemant Soren, along with Rajendra Prasad Singh of the Congress and Annapurna Devi of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) as ministers on Saturday, JMM has intensified its activities to establish the magic figure of 43 MLAs in the 82-member House to establish the majority on the floor of the House on Thursday.

A new problem has cropped up before the JMM over selection of the Speaker's post of the Assembly because many contenders including Congress were claiming to this coveted post (Speaker).

Chief minister's tension has increased to assemble the magic figure of 43 MLA's in the floor of the House on Thursday to establish his majority. Some MLAs of his own party (JMM) demanded ministerial berths. MLA Bandhu Tirkey who had taken active role in lobbying forHemant Soren's chief ministership before the Congress high command in Delhi has now claimed representation in the ministry from his party.

There is another factor cropped up before the new chief minister because of two absconding MLAs, Sita Soren and Nalin Soren both wantedby police in criminal cases in connection with 2012 Rajya Sabha cash stash case and another in the infamous seed scam case respectively.

Nalin Soren was a minister in the Madhu Koda governmet. It has to be seen before the beginning of the voting in the assembly on Thursday whether the two MLAs surrender in the court get bails to attend before timing of the crucial test in the assembly.

Political observers have been watching the role of the present Speaker C P Singh of the BJP, who refused to step down despite persuaded by Congress leaders. The observers say if the Speaker does not step down, ruling coalition MLAs may table a House resolution to remove the Speaker.

A Congress leader in the capital told Business Standard today that before formation of coalition between JMM and Congress to form the government headed by JMM leader Hemant Soren, it was agreed by the JMM leader Hemant Soren to leave the Speaker's post in favour of the Congress and now it appears that JMM backed out from their promise.

However, being a national party Congress has a great role for Jharkhand and so the party will not insist for the Speaker's post.