VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi, Aug 2: Hours after Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma slammed Jharkhand Congress MLA Jaimangal Singh for dragging his name in the alleged horse trading of the Jharkhand Congress MLAs, Jaimangal Singh alias Anup Singh admitted that he knew the Assam CM for many years. Singh further admitted that he had met union coal minister Pralhad Joshi and the meeting was arranged by the Assam CM.
Meanwhile, former BJP minister and independent MLA Saryu Roy commented that he foresees total wipe of the Congress in Jharkhand. He said that the Congress legislative fold would either split and merge in the BJP or the JMM. “In both ways this is going to be the Congress mukta Jharkhand on the line of like Bengal,” he said.
“Samjhe they jinhen bhatija who chacha nikley,” Saryu Roy made a cryptic remark. But it was obvious that he was Jaimangal Singh whom he referred as bhatija.
Jaimangal Singh clarified that he is in the Congress with clean intention and dedication and there was nothing political about his said meeting with the Assam CM.
“I have known Himanta Biswa Sarma since he was in the Congress. My father late Rajendra Prasad Singh and Himanta Biswa Sarma knew each other hence I know Himanta Biswa Sarma and he knows me as well,” Jaimangal Singh told this to Lagatar Network.
Asked about the purpose of his visit to the minister, Jaimangal Singh said that his meeting was related to recognition of his trade union INTUC in the coal sector. “For the last seven years the INTUC has not been recognized. I met him to raise this issue,” he said. But the question remained unanswered as to why he approached the Assam CM to meet the coal minister.
“It has been more than a decade since I joined politics and I don’t deny my relation with the Assam CM. When I lodged the complaint before the Ranchi police, I stated that three MLAs of my party asked me to join the move to topple the present Jharkhand government headed by Hemant Soren. They said that they would arrange my meeting with the Assam CM who would assure a ministerial berth to me besides Rs 10 crore cash to break the Congress. Nowhere in the FIR I have not stated that I did not know the Assam CM,” said the MLA.
He said that there was nothing secret about his meeting as he had informed the state leadership that he was going to meet the union minister and the Assam CM.
Three Congress MLAs Irfan Ansari, Rajesh Kachchap and Naman Bixel Kongari were arrested by Bengal police while carrying a cash around Rs 50 Lakh. The Congress dubbed it as an attempt of the BJP to topple the government and said that the Assam CM was coordinating this operation.
The Assam Chief Minister retorted the allegation and said that Jaimangal Singh has long been meeting him and it is known to him. Hence it is strange to believe that Jaimangal Singh requires any MLA or middleman to approach him.
His minister Pijush Hazarika released photographs of the July 26 meeting of Jaimangal Singh with Himanta Biswa Sarma in Delhi in presence of union minister Pralhad Joshi.
The Congress is already facing a trust deficit and internal bickering which intensified after the arrest of the three Congress MLAs. The Central leadership is concerned about the possible split in the legislative fold of the Congress.
The pictures of the meeting of Jaimangal Singh with the Assam CM have raised eyebrows of many in the party. “Jaimangal Singh is not above suspicion. What we came to know is that he is in close touch with a BJP MLA from Uttar Pradesh. It has to be verified whether the said BJP MLA was aware of the meeting,” said a senior Congress leader.
