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The Rediff Interview/ Shibu Soren

'I will be the Jharkhand chief minister. That's it'

His reconciliation with reality has perceptibly relaxed him. Gone are the furrowed brows, the impatient snap of his hands and the low menace in his voice to minions who ask him to repeat his instructions.

With the battle-lines for the chief ministership of the Jharkhand state clearly etched between the rivals, the two sides are sharpening their strategy to grab the grand prize and he is looking forward to it.

It is as if Jharkhand Mukti Morcha President Shibu Soren is at peace with himself.

"You cannot hold me responsible if the National Democratic Alliance leaders have been deceitful. People tell me I should have known better. If leaders convert solemn promises into charades, there is little I can do. But, make no mistake, these people will have to pay," Soren points out without any wrath or rancour referring to the NDA leaders reneging on their reported promise to make him the chief minister of the newly-created state.

Soren is now marshalling support from the Opposition camp comprising the Left parties, the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal, amongst others. He promises he will give a good fight to those who have 'taken things for granted' because Jharkhand belongs to Jharkhandis (sons of the soil) and not pretenders. In an interview to Special Correspondent Tara Shankar Sahay, Soren speaks about his experience with the NDA and its leaders, their going back on their promise and his determination to wrest the new state's chief ministership with a vengeance.

If you know you are on a collision course with the NDA leaders, why did you touch Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's feet when you met him recently on the issue of the Jharkhand chief ministership?

Firstly, Vajpayeeji is the country's prime minister. He fully deserves respect and I am the last person to deprive him of it in accordance to our traditions and culture. I don't care how people perceive my action towards Vajpayeeji. But that does not mean I condone the deceit played on me by NDA leaders. When they needed my party's help, they promised the moon. But after taking my party's support, they have revealed their selfish streak. The word of honour means nothing to them.

With only 12 MLAs, how do you expect to be made the chief minister of Jharkhand?

The NDA leaders during their election campaign categorically promised to make me the chief minister when the Jharkhand state came into being. George Fernandes said so and so did Nitish Kumar, especially when the latter took over as chief minister for a brief while.

The JMM cannot be taken for granted, it has its roots in Jharkhand and its people will not tolerate false promises made to our party. I have struggled for 30 years for the creation of the Jharkhand state and now that it exists, my claim for its chief ministership cannot be ignored. I have already said that I will be the Jharkhand chief minister on November 15. That's it.

You have mentioned in your speeches that all your life you have made sacrifices. Why don't you sacrifice the chief ministership of Jharkhand?

That's a good question. If I was making sacrifices all these years, it was to enable the creation of Jharkhand. And now that it exists, ask the local people, they want Shibu Soren to be the chief minister. So the chief ministership cannot be sacrificed, I won't do it. If I have joined hands with other people, it is because they realise that only Shibu Soren can be the Jharkhand chief minister. That's the kind of support I enjoy. I am ready to take on the NDA.

The BJP has 32 seats. Don't you think its claim for chief ministership is justified as it is the largest single party?

The BJP got these seats because it was our ally. The JMM fully supported it throughout our state. If the NDA leadership had told me it would not support me as the chief minister, I would have gone my own, separate way as I have done now. I would not have wasted precious time going along with the NDA. But I am taking it in my stride because as I have told you, I will be the Jharkhand chief minister.

The NDA combine is still stronger even if you join the rival Opposition camp. How will you garner the magic legislative number for your desire to come to fruitition?

The difference between us and the NDA is razor thin. I am confident that legislators will come to us since Shibu Soren is the natural choice for the Jharkhand chief ministership.

With both the BJP and your party claiming that they will successfully head the Jharkhand government, there is already some talk of horse-trading.

I don't want to comment. All I know is I am going to be the chief minister.

Do you give any credence to floating rumours that your party is going to split where some of your legislators will cross over to the BJP turf ?

I have heard persistent talk that Samata Party and Janata Dal (United) legislators want to be with the JMM because I am becoming the chief minister.

Laloo Prasad Yadav has a good track-record in fighting the NDA. But the Congress leadership is yet to come out openly on its support for you, so where does the matter stand?

We are in touch with the Congress leaders and they are extending their whole-hearted support to us, have no doubt about it. Lalooji is only too keen that I become the Jharkhand chief minister so his party's support is assured. The Left parties will side with the JMM. Therefore, there is no other way but for me to assume the chief ministership of the Jharkhand state.

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