Cong left red-faced over JMM’s support to Droupadi Murmu

Ranchi: The Congress, a member of the ruling UPA in Jharkhand, has been left red-faced after dominant partner JMM announced its support for the NDA candidate in the coming presidential poll amidst speculations in political circles about the tribal party’s growing closeness to the BJP.

The UPA partners Congress and RJD are backing opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha, a son of the soil for Jharkhand, in the July 18presidential poll and JMM had initially given its nod to his candidature. But Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, a tribal party, was caught in an obvious bind when NDA announced the name of Droupadi Murmu, who if she wins, will be the first tribal woman president of the country.

Murmu and Soren are both tribal leaders and belong to the Santhal ethnic group which has a sizeable population in Jharkhand and in neighbouring Odisha, from where she hails. Some analysts said JMM was in a dilemma whether to back the “son of the soil” or a “fellow tribal”.

The JMM decision to support Murmu came at a time when Hemant Soren, its executive president and Jharkhand chief minister, is facing legal proceeding before Jharkhand High Court in a case of office of profit in a mine lease and alleged money laundering issues. Besides, the Election Commission has fixed August 5 as the next date of hearing in the mine lease case in which the BJP has sought his disqualification as an MLA under Section 9A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.