Guruji! enough is enough

Politics is the art of possible. However, a few politicians of Jharkhand are impossible on many accounts. Their opportunism, self-centered thought processes, shameless volte-face, way of redefining the lowest morals of public life, are incredibly impossible to match. Leading the pack of such faces is none other than our honorable Chief Minister Shibu Soren. Caught in a fierce battle between the choices of political oblivion and a proven authority on the kingdom of Jharkhand, Guruji's moves appear as desperate as the word desperate is.

Tamar's claim to fame till date has been restricted to Ramesh Singh Munda, but Guruji's candidature has not only hogged national and international limelight, it has also brought a world of attention, freebies and goodies to this almost unknown constituency and its electorates. All the candidates are trying to score some democratic points, but their ammunitions still wear the conventional political strategies involving money, muscle, power and diplomacies. Guruji has traveled the extra mile by falling way below the lower limits of humanitarian values and ethics of electoral politics. Maoists are like my son, they are a part of my family, MCC didn't kill Sunil Mahato and other inviting gestures from the septuagenarian stalwart speaks volumes of his political insecurity, and vulnerability to his leadership potential.

All said and done, it is one of the most trying times of his political career as time constraints, constitutional regulations and his biggest dream to rule Jharkhand for substantial time have brought him to Tamar which has never been a JMM stronghold. The party doesn't have an organisational structure in place and local leadership is completely out of sorts. The UPA dispensation deserves to mobilise its all resources to ensure a smooth victory for their poster boy in Jharkhand, who can make or mar its fortunes in the ensuing parliamentary elections, but at what cost? The residents of the unfortunate State, where MCC runs parallel governance, can't correctly to decipher the coded carrot Guruji is trying to offer the Maoists. He has several questions to answer. Is a victory in Tamar so important that he could stoop down to this new low of making a dreaded criminal like Kundan Pahan equivalent to his sons? Is the infamous chief ministerial chair that lucrative that he decides to undermine the sacrifice of a young and promising MP from Jamshedpur? Is another small stint at the helm of affairs so compelling that he has turned for help to those fanatics who killed a popular leader like Ramesh Singh Munda and dragged the State to political instability when it should have been focusing on other priorities? Has his credentials on winnability suffered such a big blow that he can't win an Assembly election without flouting the code of conduct laid by Election Commission, by distributing electrical transformers, sanction orders of new bridges and roads that would not have been there had he not been in the fray? Has this fear of a debacle made Guruji remove Enos Ekka and Harinarayan Rai, who literally institutionalised corruption for the last three years through his chosen indifference to their deeds, or is it the threat perception analysis of Raja Peter?

Shobha De shouted: Enough is enough-after Mumbai terror attack! There has been a great deal of civilian upheaval in response to that. Those were extremists and Pakistan sponsored them. But how a country can safeguard itself from external enemies, when one of its own Chief Ministers offers the internal destructors a parentage? Jharkhand is on the brink of State-sponsored lawlessness, chaos and anarchy. Who will define the term 'enough' for Jharkhand? Surely, not leaders like Shibu Soren! If the common man of the State doesn't wake up even with this alarm, the headquarters of MCC and other similar outfits will soon shift to CM's residence at Kanke Road! Doug Gwyn said: Truth is not determined by majority vote. At least, never in Tamar!

Aaj ka goondaRAJ

When Readers Digest called it the rudest city on earth in 2006, it almost caused a civilisational upheaval in Mumbai. In 2008, history is repeating itself when Raj Thakre trying to endorse the magazine’s verdict. The extant hullabaloo originated from a chef (Read Raj Thackre) recommended menu of political parochialism which branded our faith and trust in Chhatpuja as new nataks. It went on to smack the first family of bollywood (all Amar Singhs inclusive) and a penultimate showdown between the so called shenanigans of Maharastra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and the more quantified but less qualified North Indians who practically move Mumbai- the city that never stops. The occurrences have received denigration from opinionated politicians and from Thakre’s previous political address as well. The scope of the debate is rummaging through new geographies every day, and certainly the states of Bihar and Jharkhand stand an opportunity to ring in their disquiet.

Cause célèbre:
What made the ‘controversy child’ of the Thackre family raise his head again? Which exigencies caused a bunch of monstrous rapids take it head on with the biggest of all north Indian festivals and the ginormous Big B, to beating up the innocent examinees. It’s a clear case of identity crisis and the indulgences justify his hunt of a political resort after his infamous departure from Shiv Sena. If he is trying to do a Gujarat there, he must not forget he is not a Narendra Modi and Mumbai is not an Ahmadabad. These regionalised approaches don’t go well with the cosmopolitan setting of the city. The Indian constitution empowers us to earn our livelihood anywhere in the country. Does Mr. Thackre have an answer to this if we demand ouster of all non-Jharkhandis from local companies such as Tata Steel, CCL, and SAIL? Nothing happened to the affluent political bosses, when trains get cancelled and around 15000 people get stranded in Bihar. The common man suffers. These divisive ways won’t blow any good wind for his sagging political fortunes.


Reality bites:
What is your story Mumbai? Have you done a SWOT analysis on the scenario of new Navi Mumbai (Mumbai minus North Indians)? Can you live on with these diversionary tactics? “The sheer stupidity of his desperations can bring in multitudes of losses to city.21% of the Mumbai population is North Indian and his North India specific tirade clearly shows his bankruptcy of relevant issues and provincial mindset. The poor and uneducated people of states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand come here for livelihood because of homegrown conditions of poor governance, corruption and unemployment. Unlike their well-healed Gujrati or Punjabi counterparts, they can’t flee to New York and London to drive Taxis and sell hot dogs and lingerie. Make no mistake about the highest number of Doctors, Engineers and Civil Servants these fertile and mineral rich regions produce. The rich and famous of Mumbai depend on them for the chauffeur driven school drops, security, and bhelpuris at chaupaati. It’s an LPO (life process outsourcing) intra national industry. If these events continue, we will lose the force to Bangalore and Chennai like the country is losing the manufacturing jobs to China, Korea and Taiwan. Additionally, it will set a disastrous precedence for others to follow and an apparent threat to our 60 years old republic. Can the Marathis tolerate the disrespect of Ganapati as a natak?

What the doctor orders:
Is he the first politician disdainful of observing ethical standards in public life, whether it is openly ill treating a particular section of people or using his self destructive penchant for the theatrical to score some political brownie points and nationwide media coverage? But then again, how different is he from his rivals in the political arena? If he is autocratic, then virtually every party 'boss" is today. If he is narrow minded, what are our leaders who allowed the newborn state to burn under the domicile flames? In the journey to the corridors of power, one sometimes does not have the luxury of being a mahatma. So, the current dispensation in Maharastra should sit up and take notice. A collective legislation with a stern action plan should be moved. For the people, we all should quarantine these self-declared lawmakers by all possible means. Gandhigiri by a few NCP and RJD workers in Bihar can also be an exemplary move for others.

Jaya Bachchan asked, “who is Raj Thackre?” and the question has since been reverberating through out the country. This is not a battle between 'responsible' politics and, a mediocre and departed offshoot of the Thackre Kingdom. Instead, this is symptomatic of a deeper crisis of content that pervades the entire political fraternity. For the ‘Jai Maharastra’ brigade, if the religiously regular bomb blasts and reputation obsessed Mumbai rains couldn’t dampen the mumbaikar’s resilience; what another Thackre can do to its welcoming and harmonious nature? Aamchi Mumbai!

Why this feat is so special for Guruji?

If cricket is under serious threat from the Abhinav Bindras to lose its unrivalled kingdom; MSD has been put under similar propositions by the septuagenarian JMM stalwart: Shibu Soren. Though Maahi has been the standalone Jharkhandi claim to international fame and pride in recent times, guruji surely has wrested his numero uno standing to an enviable extent. Not only did he become a central theme to our aspirations of a nuclear deal with the USA, he also helped the making of a political Kinng from an otherwise tactless Manmohan Singh. From 22nd July to 26th August, if any leader has literally captured the constituents of national politics; it is our very own Dishom Guru: Shibu Soren- the new CM of Jharkhand.

His case does merit more attention, as it exemplifies the proverbial phoenix rise from dumps to the CEO of Jharkhand. His new found tranquillity with words and penchant with calculated strategic moves genuinely match Maahi’s cucumber cool and rock solid confidence about the end result. An observant take on this high voltage political drama, clearly portrays the way in which Guruji turned things to his advantage in a changed set of political co-ordinates. From Chirudih and Sashinath Jha murder case to the ever-elusive chiefministership of Jharkhand, and make shift arrangements with coal ministry; Guruji’s track record has a striking resemblance with that ‘use and throw’ pen. For his friends from the nationalist parties, his status has always been accommodative and not of felicitation. Never did it occur to Congress and its allies that a leader of this undisputed charisma among the tribal population deserved better offerings than those never ending waiting periods and vibes of self centred petty politics. Many of his colleagues with even inferior credentials continued with the hot seat, but Guruji was made to experience the political exile.

Stalin said: “If the baby doesn’t cry, the mother doesn’t know what he needs. Ask for anything you need. There will be no refusals.” Times changed and so did the equations from Ranchi to Delhi. He bailed Manmohan Singh in the trust vote on 22nd July, but there was a farsighted angle inculcated in this bargain. As the proverbial numbers were supporting Guruji’s case, the Oxbridge and Harvard managers in Delhi started dancing to his tunes. And, this time Guruji kept the discussions busy with the priorities in Delhi and sneaked Jharkhand in with a silent but prospective finesse. He was confident of three facts: the saleable set of independent MLAs who would sleep with everything that gives them a hope to remain powerfully relevant, his own indispensability for the central govt. keeping in view the ensuing parliament elections and Laloo Yadav’s miserable life with a non UPA establishment in Jharkhand, given the fact that the ghost of ‘fodder scam’ still haunts the RJD supremo. Though initially, his own image of ‘a simple and manageable adivaasi’ restricted him from being taken seriously; his resolute stand to go to the extent of pulling the Koda govt. down stunned the crisis managers across the party lines and tables got turned in his favour.

Having spent months of humiliation, isolation and inequitable treatments by Laloo Yadav, Sonia Gandhi and the minnows like the independents; he cashed in on his decades long experience and with a bit of luck which one always needs in the unforgiving world of politics, came out tops in copybook maahi ishtyle - It ain’t over till the fat lady sings. Though it’s farfetched to expect any thing magical from the change in guard, as the ‘old wine new bottle' arrangements in terms of human capital in the ministry do churn out the same pessimistic vibes; the people can at least expect an iota of ownership from a Chief Minister who not only symbolises the second largest political outfit in Jharkhand but a genre of agitations, sacrifices and symptomatic tribal pride. All the best- Guruji! You truly rock!

Jamshedpur inspires Guruji!

From opportunistic sleeping escapades to admonishing overtures to get what he was initially promised with; Guruji is running from pillar to post to don the political captaincy of Jharkhand just like an insecure lover’s last ditch to marry his princess. After all, in the unforgiving uncertainties of growing age and politics, one doesn’t dare to wait till tomorrow. But, why is Guruji being singled out? Jharkhand has been a breeding ground for politically ambitious souls. The contenders from Bollywood, Bureaucracy, Corporate and Underworld may look like daydreamers, but all their hopes to make it big, surely count on the successful logics from the Jharkhandi past. Great things happen here by fluke and, the Jharkhandi fluke repeats itself.

It is not only the ‘ignited minds’ of JMM which aim to bite more than they can chew; the so called disciplined political outfit BJP hosts many Gurujis. The race has begun to find a star that will cut Suman Mahato’s dream run short. And, Jamshedpur is again the laboratory, which initiated the real apolitical mix into Jharkhandi political arena through examples of Nitish Bharadwaj (the Sri Krishna of the Mahabharata fame) and Rushi Modi (Ex. MD Tata Steel).

For the BJP ticket, the names which are making the rounds include Amitabh Chaudhary, Prabhat Sinha and Sadhu Mahato. With aspirations to make an entry to the highest podium of democracy, do these gentlemen really profess any credentials to support their candidature in terms of understanding the plight of the masses, political pedigree and knowledge of ground realities? So, it is imperative to examine their own raison d’être to envisage a candidature for themselves. Mr. Chaudhary banks on his self-declared outstanding tenure as SP of Jamshedpur. Mr. Sinha assumes that he was the only General Manager of Tata Steel with a difference, and Mr. Mahato thinks he earns enough credits because of his surname and the ideological shift he made from Congress to BJP in the eleventh hour to grab the party ticket.

A low down on their activities in the recent past offers the reality bites. The last professional achievement for Mr. Chaudhari was Surendra Bangaali- the dreaded criminal around 11 years back. After that, it has been allegations of blackmailing of tickets in the ODI between India and England, and falling out with his own Chief Secretary not for issues related to the welfare of the state, but for the impending threat Mr. P.P. Sharma was becoming to his duty free run with the JCA (Jharkhand Cricket Association) crown. The inordinate delay in his allegations against the Chief Secretary and the timing, do smell rat. The manhandling of a senior judge by his wife’s bodyguards only added value to his dubious portfolio. Discussing Prabhat Sinha makes one argue his claim to fame. People know him as the man who engineered an otherwise unknown Parimal Nathwani’s election to Rajya Sabha. He enjoys a far too superior track record as power broker for Nathwani and for the Reliance Empire than his performance as General Manager with Tata Steel and for the people of Jamshedpur. For Mr. Mahato, scores of criminal charges against him make him another of those politicians who think, only a judicial conviction can question their morality. Inner voices and public opinion are all Greek to them.

For any Jharkhandi, who is not living on either Mars or Venus for the last one year; this self promoted group of ‘A few good men’ reminds one of unadulterated opportunism to cash in on the awfully underperforming Suman Mahato to build their own political castle. So, after decades of toiling and crisscrossing through the geographies of the tribal land; Guruji’s gestures are nowhere farfetched by the traditional stretch of political imagination. Unlike his other apolitical counterparts he has decades of hardship, humiliations, and methodical fights through ground zero to his credit. If this troika can dream of Delhi, Guruji deserves to aim high. We may ridicule him, but let’s not ridicule his ambitions. Yeh dil maange more!

The highest DPL bid goes to the old political broker Shibu Soren

Guruji! Cricket se aapko kya mila?

After the enviable success of IPL, the venue shifted from Mumbai to the capital; and now DPL- Delhi Public League was panned out to us. Countdown has begun! Devegowda met Manmohan! Karat wins over Mayavati! Guruji may be the next CM of Jharkhand! 268 for UPA, 260 for NDA! Lucknow Airport renamed! Ambaanis tilting towards UPA! Independents never had it better! UNPA will nuke the govt.! 25 Crores for each of the SP MPs! The same hoopla, maddening arithmetic, politically illegitimate photo-ops etc., and as a frenzied nation; we have been devouring this auction as well. History repeated itself, but with a Jharkhandi twist. Though Jharkhand never had the riches to have its own team in IPL, and MSD won the highest bid through his Chennai Cap; in the DPL, the team from Jharkhand very well decided the fate of the tourney and help Mr. Manmohan Singh achieve a phoenix rise.

On the 22nd July - the grand finale, the lights were again back on the captain - the septuagenarian JMM supremo Shibu Soren. The cameras were following him and so were the aspirations and hopes of three Crore Jharkhandis. He voted for UPA, for Manmohan Singh and in favour of nuclear deal. Bidding price tag? Two ministerial births at the centre, and may be, they would install his son Hemant Soren as the Deputy Chief Minister of Jharkhand. Team Jharkhand had five players which included one from Orissa- a state which didn’t even have a single representation in IPL. Now, the big question is should Guruji have accepted this opportunistic bid to offer the on-life-support UPA with another lease of life for six months? Guruji! lets think through the options again and the weigh the strings attached to them.

Guruji! no one gets this opportunity everyday. With UPA: for you, another six months with coal ministry, rewards for your other MPs, may be more economic package for Jharkhand, duty free fun for DPL cheerleaders- the independent MPs like their Jharkhandi counterparts because everyone in Delhi needs them too. And, for the masses which four of your MPs represent, it will be 11.20% plus inflation, flaring fuel prices, parallel reign of naxalites, record breaking lawlessness, deafening stats of the corrupt ministers buying money counting machines, bureaucrats of the quality which transacted the chicken and buffalos for a laptop, to live with for another six months.

Guruji, no amount of economic servings or Jharkhandi representation at the centre for another six months, will be beneficial for us till we don’t get the basic right in the roots. With the defunct establishment of Jharkhand, more money means more freebies for the ministers and the babus. And, for your son, if he makes his debut on the crutches of opportunistic bargaining, the same may be the way of his departure. If you consider him as capable of leading the next generation of JMM, then allow him to learn the tough ways to the tops. Not through helicopter drops.

If common sense could prevail even tangentially on your decades old political know-how, you should have pulled the plug on Mr. Manmohan Singh and chosen to go to people and seek re-election. If you had dumped those lucrative offers, in the worst case scenario- the govt. would have fallen and the Congress might have brought Mr. Koda down in Jharkhand. But, you followed the predictable schemes. You forgot, what happened to your three friends who shared that infamous limelight in 1993 ‘JMM bribery case’? To err is human and to learn is a true statesman. After fifteen years, you had a chance to go for a mid course correction to rehash your celebratory venal image and prove the Oxbridge and Harvard managers wrong, through your Dumka fundamentals. But you did the predictable, because an average leader of your character and reputation doesn’t have the balls to think beyond selfish gains and vested ambitions. So Cricket se aapko kya mila, Guruji? A historic prospect to change the saleable ‘brand Jharkhand’ to a not-for –sale one for once and all! But like our Dhoni from ‘Chennai Super Kings’, even you missed it .He at least put up a show there, but you were bought over even without a silent protest. Shame on you!!!