Independents are waiting for the kill

February 28, 2005

With the Jharkhand voter refusing to give any party a clear-cut majority, it’s deja vu time for Independents. Just like it happened in 2000, this time too the Independents are finding themselves in great demand.

Of nearly dozen Independents crossing the finish line, Stephen Marandi - who broke away from JMM to contest from Dumka, would be playing a crucial role. He has already expressed his wish to extend conditional support to the UPA.

Meanwhile, the BJP, determined not to allow Jharkhand become another Goa for itself, said it should be asked to form the government. The reason for the NDA trying to force the issue is not hard to find. The Congress-JMM alliance has won 27 seats but there are a few more MLAs (including those from the CPI, FB and CPI-ML) whose vote will be for the UPA. Besides, the Congress, too, has already contacted a few Independent winners, including even a BJP rebel candidate (Madhu Koda from Jagannathpur).

In a situation like this, Independent winners in a repeat of the post-2000 polls scenario, when four of them helped the NDA form the government are again finding themselves in demand. Four of them two from the UGDP and two from the All-Jharkhand Students’ Union seem inclined to go the NDA way.

But the biggest Independent winner, Stephen Marandi (who failed to win the JMM nomination from Dumka but won the seat), indicated things might be a little more confusing.