Mahto: Pound of flesh

Ranchi, April 20: Having muscled his way into the cabinet, state JD(U) chief Jaleshwar Mahto now has another wish-list for the chief minister. This time, however, he is only pleading for his MLAs ?honour.?

Mahto said he would ask Munda to restructure boards and corporations soon to accommodate JD(U) members.

?All the MLAs have ambitions. The chief minister ought to give them due honour. Now that the council of ministers in the state cannot have more than 12 members, other legislators supporting the government need to be accommodated in various boards and corporations. I will soon meet Munda with the request,? Mahto told The Telegraph.

The shunting out of another party legislator Radha Krishna Kishore, however, does not weigh too heavily on the JD(U) leader?s mind. Asked if Kishore had got a raw deal, he said, ?That chapter is closed now. I never had personal enmity with Kishore. We objected to the nature of council of ministers, because it was against the recommendation of our party high command. I have already said that all the MLAs should be given due honour,? he added.

The legislator who Munda has found hard to please said he was not choosy about the portfolio given to him, though he reminded the chief minister that ?concerned members? have to be sounded out before any decision. ?Allocation of portfolios may be the chief minister?s prerogative, but normally he seeks the opinion of concerned members. However, I am ready to handle any department,? he said.

Mahto also denied that he extended undue favours to Dhanbad as drinking water and sanitation minister.

Ranchi was the biggest beneficiary in his regime, he said. ?I worked for the entire state and will continue to do so, irrespective of the portfolio I am given,? he said.

He, however, was candid about his responsibilities towards his constituency. ?Baghmara yields the maximum revenue in the state. It ought to be given special attention. Whatever department I am given, I will see that Baghmara is benefited,? he added.