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Ranchi, April 10: A yajna and a bridge inaugural in Dumka kept four of Arjun Munda’s ministerial colleagues away from the state capital even as few others were occupied with their own schedules, prompting the chief minister today to postpone a cabinet meeting to Friday.
Munda’s deputy Sudesh Mahto, along with ministers Haji Hussain Ansari (minority welfare) and Chandra Prakash Choudhary (labour), left for Dumka this afternoon to launch a bridge over a rivulet.
Satyanand Jha Batul, on the other hand, is reportedly organising a yajna to appease the gods in his Assembly constituency of Nala. The agriculture minister also did not participate in a special drive for distribution of kisan credit cards launched by Munda here yesterday.
This apart, deputy chief minister Hemant Soren is on a Maharashtra tour, while food and civil supplies minister Mathura Prasad Mahto and his transport counterpart Champai Soren are in Godda. The two were part of JMM’s foundation day celebrations, which falls today itself.
Sudesh Mahto’s “choice” to launch a long-awaited bridge in Dumka on the auspicious occasion may boost JMM-Ajsu alliance. Ajsu has been struggling for long to have a strong presence in Santhal Pargana, the traditional domain of JMM.
However, Mahto argued it was not possible to hold the meeting today as Hemant was absent. “Hemant Soren happens to be the finance minister. A majority of cabinet decisions usually involve expenses. Hence, his consent is necessary. He is expected to reach here on April 12,” he added.
Sources said the ministers were informed late yesterday that the cabinet meeting was postponed, although the cabinet co-ordination department posted the information on its website only this evening.
“As the meeting was postponed, I spent the day interacting with people from my constituency at my official residence, besides doing routine work,” said excise minister Gopal Krishna Patar.
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