The Hindu : National : BJP waging `proxy war' against me: Sibu Soren

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Sunday, Feb 13, 2005

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National

BJP waging `proxy war' against me: Sibu Soren

By D.P. Sharan

RANCHI, FEB.12. The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief, Sibu Soren, today claimed that the ruling BJP in the State is left with no option except launch a proxy war against him by sponsoring his adversaries.

Talking to The Hindu here, Mr. Soren said that even as the BJP had virtually launched a proxy war against him by roping in his political adversaries within and outside the party to prevent him from winning, he had the all out support of the Congress high command. Mr. Soren claimed that during a brief discussion with the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, here on Friday, she made him rest assured about the Congress support to form a JMM-led Government in the State.

Reacting to the personal attack by the BJP stalwarts, L.K. Advani and Venkaiah Naidu, on him, Mr. Soren said they were desperate. He claimed that when they failed to stop the escalating popularity of the UPA constituents, they started carrying out the tirade against him by proxy.

He said the BJP was trying to allure away his old associates such as Stephen Marandi by sponsoring him in the elections. But Mr. Stephen would gain nothing by forging an alliance with communal forces in Jharkhand, he said.

Mr. Soren said Mr. Stephen could hardly make any difference to the JMM vote bank in its stronghold, Santhalpargana, which was going to poll on February 23 — the third phase of election — in the State.

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