Protesters burn effigy of Shibu Soren in Bhubaneswar on Monday. Picture by Sanjib Mukherjee

Bhubaneswar, July 21: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik today expressed “strong” objection to the demand of JMM chief Shibu Soren to include three districts of Orissa in the proposed greater Jharkhand.

“I am strongly against Soren’s demand,” said Naveen reacting to one of the 13 pre-conditions set by the JMM central committee to extend support to the UPA government for tomorrow’s trust vote in the Lok Sabha.

The decision to seek inclusion of Sundergarh, Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar in greater Jharkhand was taken at a meeting of the JMM central committee, chaired by Soren in New Delhi yesterday morning, said party MP from Mayurbhanj Sudam Marandi.

“If the UPA government concedes to his demand, it will be considered that the Congress-led UPA is anti-Orissa,” Naveen said, looking irritated by the demand.

Naveen recalled Orissa’s longstanding demand for inclusion of Oriya-speaking Seraikela-Kharsawan district of Jharkhand that was earlier a part of Orissa prior to reorganisation of states in 1948. His government had demanded the “return” of Seraikela-Kharsawan during the division of Bihar for carving out Jharkhand. Even a unanimous resolution was adopted in the Assembly pressing for the demand. But the Centre had ignored the idea, sparking widespread protests in Orissa.

The JMM’s split demand has also evoked strong protest from the BJP’s state unit. Party activists staged demonstrations at places across the state with Soren’s effigy being burnt in Bhubaneswar. Vehemently opposing the idea, BJP national vice-president and former Union minister Juel Oram warned of violent protests if the UPA government conceded to the demand. “We will not allow the split of Orissa,” he warned. Oram represents Sundergarh.

While Congress central leadership is silent on the JMM’s demand, the party’s Orissa unit has voiced its opposition. Leader of the Opposition and former chief minister J.B. Patnaik said: “We don’t support it. It’s an absurd idea.”