* * * Jharkhand Blog * ** ** **
** * * ** ** ** Both Chief Ministers of Jharkhand are a RSS outfit ** *Babu Lal Marandi * Jharkhand's first chief minister is among the few tribal Bharatiya Janata Party leaders with a hardcore Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh background. Considering his background, it is no surprise that the BJP preferred him to the much more seasoned Karia Munda for the top slot. Though the BJP cannot ignore the contribution of the latter, among the few tribals in the Jan Sangh in the 1960s, in popularising the party among tribals, Marandi's contribution to expanding the party's base in the last ten years cannot be wished away either. Born in remote Kodia Bandh village under Tisri block of Giridih district, forty-two year old Babu Lal Marandi's meteoric rise in state and national politics surprised many, not only in the BJP but even outside. Eldest of the three sons and two daughters of Chotu Marandi, a simple farmer, Babu Lal got his primary education from the local village school. He went to a nearby village to complete middle and high school. After passing high school (securing second class), he moved to Giridih College from where he did his intermediate and graduation. It was there that he came in contact with the RSS. Later, he moved to Ranchi where he did his post-graduation in Geography from Ranchi University. He worked as a teacher in a village primary school for a year before giving up the job to work for the Sangh Parivar. He was made the organising secretary of the Vananchal (BJP refers to Jharkhand region by this name) Vishwa Hindu Parishad. In 1983, he moved to Dumka and worked in the Santhal Parganas division, which he toured extensively. In those days, he used to live in the RSS office in Dumka. In 1991, the BJP gave him the ticket to contest from the Dumka (reserved) Lok Sabha seat, but lost. In 1996, he lost to Shibu Soren by just 5,000 odd votes. The BJP, in the meantime, made him president of the party's Jharkhand unit. It was under Marandi's leadership that the party won 12 out of 14 Lok Sabha seats in Jharkhand region in the 1998 election. Marandi, a Santhal, led the tally by defeating Jharkhand Mukti Morcha supremo Shibu Soren, another Santhal. The victory gave an immense boost to Marandi's profile and he was included in the Union Council of Ministers, one of four ministers from Bihar. The seasoned Karia Munda, Cabinet minister in the 13-day Atal Bihari Vajpayee government of 1996 and a minister in the Morarji Desai ministry in 1977, was ignored after Marandi emerged as a giant killer. In 1999, Marandi retained the Dumka seat defeating Soren's wife Rupi Soren by a slender margin of 5,000 votes. Rupi owes her defeat to Congress candidate Ramesh Hembrom who took a large chunk of the non-BJP votes. Marandi's wife Shanti Murmu is a homemaker and barely literate. They have two high school going sons. Marandi is a vegetarian. Party insiders say the BJP central leadership chose Marandi as he is young, dynamic, pragmatic and more acceptable to non-tribals who in fact call the shots in the party. in.rediff.com/news/2000/nov/14babu.htm *Madhu Koda* The low-profile independent MLA who once remarked, 'I feel like hitting sixes like Mahendra Singh Dhoni' has really hit it big in a different way. At 35, he is the youngest chief minister of Jharkhand. Madhukar Koda has got a sudden windfall after a stunning turn of political events in the last fortnight as the former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh worker is now the chief minister of a United Progressive Alliance government. The Bharatiya Janata Party had least expected that the short, thick moustached and curly-haired Koda, who prefers designer clothes to the khadi dress code, would one day emerge as the dark horse to dismount the 18-month-old Arjun Munda government. Hailing from a tribal farming community, Koda, a graduate, began his career as a social activist and in politics before he completed his matriculation. Joining the RSS in 1990, Koda entered the assembly as a BJP member in 2000 from the Jagannathpur constituency and became the Panchayati Raj minister in the Babulal Marandi government, which was formed soon after bifurcation of Bihar. He remained a minister since then. Born on January 6, 1971 at Patahatu in West Singhbhum, Koda faced several hurdles in his political career, a career disliked by his 69-year-old father Rasika. Though witnessing the bitterest moment of his life when his marriage fell out even while remaining in the Arjun Munda cabinet, the soft-spoken Koda continued his balancing act deftly, not allowing his personal life to affect his political career. "This post is not a bed of roses but a crown of thorns," observed Koda soon after staking claim to form the government, obviously aware of the experiences his predecessors Babulal Marandi, Arjun Munda and Shibu Soren went through. "If I become the chief minister, it will be the support and blessings of god, my elders and friends," Koda had remarked. Rashtriya Janata Dal supremo Lalu Prasad, who played a key role in the Jharkhand developments, declared when the political crisis was on that his 'blessings' were with Koda for the top job. Probably nursing the humiliation of not getting a BJP ticket in the 2005 elections despite serving in the NDA ministry for five years, Koda won as independent that year, rebelling against the party's decision and inviting expulsion. He did not mind joining the BJP-Janata Dal (United) coalition then, but waited for the right time to strike -- a blow that propelled him to the high office -- when he took exception to a contractor's call which he intrepreted as a threat. He brought this up in the House during the monsoon session; Munda said, a day later, that it had not been a threat call. Munda's concentration had been confined to his former home minister Sudesh Mahto after the latter formed the group of five ministers that included Koda. But the former chief minister hardly expected Koda to fire the final and lethal shot. Koda, who has a good rapport with Marandi, never showed any public resentment against Munda. rediff.com/news/2006/sep/18koda.htm Subject Line by Jharkhand Blog ** <http://www.jharkhand.org.in/contact.htm> . * News TV <http://www.indian-tv.blogspot.com/> Blog <http://www.jharkhand.org.in/blog> Photo <http://www.jharkhand.org.in/photo> Music <http://www.jharkhandi.org/music.htm> Video <http://www.jharkhandi.org/video.htm> Live Chat <http://www.jharkhand.org.in/live> Directory <http://www.jharkhand.org.in/directory> Testimonials <http://www.jharkhand.org.in/directory> Forum <http://yahoogroups.com/group/jharkhand> Contact <http://www.jharkhand.org.in/contact.htm> . * -- Jharkhand Blog [EMAIL PROTECTED] Jharkhand Online Network www.jharkhand.org.in/blog
