Jharkhand Congress slams BJP over 'greed for power'

The Congress's Jharkhand unit on Friday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of 'greed for power' which, it said, has led the saffron party to put on hold withdrawal of support to the Shibu Soren government in the state.

Alleging that the BJP was again 'playing the game of numbers', a Congress release said "Frequent change of decisions among the BJP and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha has not only left Jharkhand reeling under a political crisis, but also lowered the dignity of democratic norms."

It accused the BJP of "greed for power, ignoring principal problems like Naxalism, water crisis and poverty in the state."

"As per its political strategy, the BJP has forced JMM to write the letter of apology and for government formation by the BJP," the Congress claimed.

Pradesh Congress Committee leader Radhakrishna Kishore claimed that JMM leader Hemant Soren had met a few Congress members of legislative assembly on Thursday at the residence of Congress MLA Gopalnath Sahadeo.

"Our MLAs told Hemant Soren that if you have any proposal, you can put it before the All India Congress Committee leadership. But the Congress will not initiate a move unless it is sure that a transparent, stable and a full-term government is possible," Kishore said.

Meanwhile, Congress leader and former deputy chief minister Stephen Marandi, who was in the erstwhile Shibu Soren-led United Progressive Alliance government, told a press conference along with other Pradesh Congress Committee leaders that JMM leaders were feeling 'suffocated' because of their party's alliance with the BJP.

"But they are unable to do anything, may be due to fear of the anti-defection law," said Marandi, a former JMM leader.

Marandi was apparently referring to JMM MLAs Simon Marandi and Teklal Mahato's open criticism of the party leadership -- for again going to the BJP -- even after the latter withdrew its support.