Ajsu-P threatens to review ties with BJP

RANCHI: Ajsu Party, BJP's ruling partner that has four members in the assembly, on Wednesday decided to move court against the government's ‘unconstitutional manner' in which the Chotanagpur Tenancy (CNT) and the Santhal Pargana Tenancy (SPT) Act amendment bill was passed in the house on Wednesday.
Party MLA Vikas Singh Munda, who recently tendered his resignation from the Tribal Advisory Council (TAC) as a mark of protest, said the party wanted the government to go for division of votes instead."When the house was in utter chaos and nothing could be heard, the government tabled the bill and got it passed through voice vote, which is completely against the constitutional spirit," he said.
Minister in the government, Chandra Prakash Choudhary, while participating in the legislative party meet summoned by speaker Dinesh Oraon to ensure peaceful proceedings in the house, urged the speaker to adopt division of votes through secret ballot. Another MLA Ram Chandra Sahis said the party would review its support to the government.
"At present, we are with the government but completely against the amendments to CNT and SPT Act which has tampered with its basic spirit of safeguarding interests of tribal and moolvasis," he said. Sahis stressed that the bill would not have been passed had the government agreed to adopting secret division of votes.
Chief Minister Raghubar Das appeared confident about getting the bill passed whereas the opposition members accused the government of misusing majority in house. Government won the confidence of some of the tribal MLAs of BJP who were earlier opposed to the move. Though Gangroti Kujur and Lois Marandi did not comment on the move, another BJP MLA Shiv Shankar Oraon said that the government has retained the ownership right of tribal on land which satisfied them.
The house appeared like a garrison on Wednesday and for the first time every entrant was asked to produce identity cards. Government was prepared to prevent opposition from creating any rukus outside house. It however failed to completely control the situation inside.