After cash haul, spotlight on fate of state Congress chief

Ranchi: The ongoing controversy over the cash haul from three Jharkhand Congress MLAs in Howrah over the alleged government topple bid, followed by an FIR by Bermo MLA Kumar Jaimangal against his party lawmakers, has prompted many to put a question mark over incumbent state Congress president Rajesh Thakur when the central leadership is believed to be mulling ministerial reshuffle in the state government.
Party insiders claimed that a section of central leadership is in favour of his replacement sooner or later to prevent damage to party’s prospects ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
A few state Congress leaders are planning to visit Delhi after the ongoing monsoon session to formally seek removal of Thakur, who had been appointed by former state’s minder RPN Singh who joined BJP ahead of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.
On the other hand, former Godda MP and senior Congressman Furkan Ansari, father of now suspended MLA Irfan Ansari (Jamtara), one of the three MLAs arrested in Howrah for anti-government, anti-party activities two days ago, told TOI that he is scheduled to visit Delhi to meet party high command to formally seek ouster of Thakur.
“Many veteran Congress men are in favour of Thakur’s ouster. Why shouldn’t action be taken against him when illegal acts, if any, was happening under his watch? He couldn’t even stop cross voting in the Presidential election, and prevent infighting,” said Furkan.
On Tuesday, Congress once again landed in an uncomfortable position after Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma shared his pictures with Jaimangal, accusing that the latter had lodged a fake FIR against him of trying to topple the Soren-led state government. Sarma twitted that ‘it looks like Congress asking Ottavio Quattrocchi to file a case against Bofors.’
On a day when Jaimangal rushed to lodge FIR against the three suspended MLAs —Irfan, Rajesh Kachchap (Khijri), and Naman Bixal Kongari (Kolebira) — after their arrest in Howrah, Thakur also accompanied Jaimangal.
Party insiders in the state unit hinted that the central leadership are becoming increasingly concerned over Thakur’s “inefficiency” in keeping his flocks together, getting a greater grip on them to check uncontrolled infighting, and his miserable failure during the recently concluded Rajya Sabha elections to prevent JMM to not field a candidate.
Another senior leader said, “The job of state president is to cut down infighting to save party image, but the way he had gone to lodge FIR against his MLAs with Jaimangal has upset leaders both within the state and in Delhi.”
“One of the election officers from Delhi remarked about his lack of control over party workers and spoke of submitting a report to central leadership against him. There was a meeting at the central leadership level 10 days before to ponder over his leadership,” said another.
Thakur said he has been a committed party worker and his actions ensure that the party and the incumbent coalition government runs smoothly. “As a state president, I will always work as per the directives of the high command. As far as criticisms are concerned, I take it in positive stride,” he said.