Soren: Hopeful

Ranchi, June 23: The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has demanded two berths in the Union council of ministers when Manmohan Singh shuffles his pack in the next few days.

Party chief Shibu Soren is expected to get a second look-in but whether he gets back his coal portfolio is as yet undecided as a section of Congress leaders is opposed to it.

Differences had surfaced between Soren and the Congress leadership during his two stints as the union coal minister over some of the decisions taken by the tribal leader. But sources close to Soren are hopeful that coal would be restored to him in case the leader is re-inducted into the council of ministers.

Soren had to resign twice from the union cabinet. First, when a lower court in Jamtara had issued a non-bailable warrant against him for allegedly absconding in the Chirudih massacre case of 1972 where 12 people were killed. He went into hiding and after tendering his resignation from the cabinet, he surrendered before the court.

The next time Soren tendered his resignation was when he became the chief minister of the nine day old United Progressive Alliance government in Jharkhand.

Following his differences with a section of the Congress leaders, the first time Soren was re-inducted into the cabinet, he was stripped of the mines portfolio and was left only with coal. Speculation is rife in political circles that Soren would have to do without coal even this time.

After his resignation for the second time, the coal ministry is being looked after directly by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Sources said Singh had written off many decisions taken by Soren as the coal minister. Some of the decisions taken by Soren include the issue of linkage to some of the leading business houses.

?Jharkhand has the largest coal mine field in the country. Hence the claim for my party is legitimate. No one can understand coal other than a son of the soil. We have a right on two berths in the cabinet for supporting the UPA at the Centre,? Soren told The Telegraph.

In case he does not get coal, Soren may even have to settle for the tribal affairs portfolio. ?But we feel he will get back coal. Just in case he does not, the preference would be for the tribal affairs portfolio. Soren can do a lot for the tribes and tribals who have been a neglected for centuries,? sources close to the JMM chief said.

Soren is likely to appear before the court of additional district and sessions judge in Giridih tomorrow in connection with a double murder case of 1975 at Kudko village. After deposing before the court, the JMM chief will leave for Delhi.

?We are part of the UPA and also part of the government. The JMM chief had resigned when he became the chief minister. We have a natural claim on a Cabinet berth which we will get as per the understanding between the political parties supporting the Manmohan Singh government,? JMM general secretary Shailendra Bhattacharya said.