Ranchi: Signs of strain in Jharkhand’s ruling alliance came to the fore on Tuesday after the Congress attacked its own govt over law and order and alleged illegal land acquisition in mining belts, but JMM was quick to play down the differences, saying as alliance partners, they should sit across the table and resolve them.A day after JMM central general secretary and spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharjee called Congress a ‘poisonous snake’ during an interview with a local web portal, which he later said was taken out of context, Congress state in-charge K Raju, flanked by senior state members questioned police inaction in the alleged rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl in Hazaribag last week.Speaking to reporters at a city hotel, Raju raised concerns over the non-implementation of the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, particularly in mining command areas. He cited the recent demolition of the house of now suspended senior Congress member Yogendra Saw by the Hazaribag administration, while he was protesting in Barkagaon demanding compensation for land losers affected by mining.Party insiders said the action against Saw was unnecessary, exposing deeper unease within the party.“The way police force was used against our senior member at the behest of the mining lobby suggests a one-sided approach by the Hazaribag administration. I reviewed the land acquisition situation and the concerns of land losers in mining command areas and realised the prescribed rules are not being followed. Congress has now decided to launch a campaign in all such areas soon to enforce proper implementation and action against erring officials,” Raju said.Raju also took aim at the govt school system, citing his experience during a nine-day party training camp for newly elected district presidents of Jharkhand and Odisha in West Singhbhum. “We found that in a remote village there, the poor are forced to go to private schools because of poor govt schools,” he said. “Congress will soon launch a campaign on all relevant public issues.”On Congress attacking the govt, Raju defended, “Congress can’t keep quiet on people’s issues. By raising issues, we think we are helping our alliance govt. We keep meeting the CM to discuss issues to work on. For example, recently we pressed for formation of a state coordination committee, which the CM has agreed upon.”In the 81-member Jharkhand assembly, JMM with 34 and Congress with 16 seats are the main partners in the Mahagatbandhan govt, while BJP is the main opposition with 21 seats.Chief minister Hemant Soren has been also targeting both Congress and BJP in his Assam campaigning speeches, accusing them of failing tribals in tea estate areas for ages.The escalating war of words is also being seen as pressure tactics ahead of elections to two Rajya Sabha seats in the state, political observers said.JMM spokesman Bhattacharjee told TOI that his comments had been made in a different context and were misconstrued. “In Assam, we are fighting against everyone. As far as comments on Congress are concerned, it was in the context of tea tribes in Assam, as no one did anything for tribals there for centuries. JMM’s fight is for tea tribes, who should have long ago got ST status,” he said, adding that every party has its own ideology.On the Congress charges, he added, “We are alliance partners and if there are any issues, they should raise them at the proper platform with the CM for mutual resolution.”Opposition BJP accused both Congress and JMM of double standards. “If Congress is unhappy with the govt, law and order and other issues, why shouldn’t they snap ties? It is because they are power hungry. We have been saying this for long; this unholy alliance is based only on opportunism and self-interest, and the people are paying the price for it,” BJP spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo said.
