Title - Ex-CMs' poor show in Parl dismays voters

RANCHI: The performance of three former chief ministers of Jharkhand - Shibu Soren of the JMM, Babulal Marandi of the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) and independent Madhu Koda - have remained in the limelight of national politics for all good and bad reasons as MPs has been disappointing since they were elected to the 15th Lok Sabha.While Soren, Marandi have never raised any questions in Parliament in the past four years, most of them barring Besra have attended less than 30% of the sittings.According to the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha websites and analysis done by PRS Legislative Research, an independent agency, the national average of MPs' attendance has been 77% but in respect of Jharkhand leaders, it dropped to 67%.Soren was absent from Parliament during 2009 and 2010 winter session, whereas Koda being in jail has missed 7 of the 13 sittings of the 15th Lok Sabha. Despite poor attendance of 24%, koda has, however, raised 71 questions and also participated in debates ten times. Rajmahal MP Devidhan Besra of the BJP also did not raise any question in the House.Godda MP of BJP Nishikant Dubey is one among the best performers from the state who has not only registered 95% attendance but asked 690 questions as against the national average of 255 questions. He has participated in 77 debates and has also moved five private members' bill. Dubey said if he was not active in Parliament, he would have nothing to answer to the electorate. "Our voters are innocent and want to see us raise their issues in Parliament on television and unless we participate in debates, the voice of our people would never reach the national level," he said.

Citing some of the projects sanctioned by the Union government, Dubey said ultra mega power project at Rs 30,000 ccore, Jindals Steel Plant at Rs 10,000 crore, 127 km railway line, the country's first solar power plant and solar illumination on 52-km stretch would not have been possible if the issues were not raised.

Another JMM MP Kameshwar Baitha, who is a known former Maoist, too, believes firmly on the parliamentary system. Being in jail for long, he could attend six of the 13 sittings but in that period he has raised 227 questions and participated in 31 debates. "I have described the Maoists as a part of society who picked arms because of long history of exploitation and I believe that a voice from within the Maoist would help the government draw their plans effectively," he said.

BJP MPs Yashwant Sinha (Hazaribag), Sudarshan Bhagat (Lohardaga) and P N Singh (Dhanbad) have also been active in terms of attending most of the sittings of Parliament. While Bhagat and Singh raised 347 and 232 questions respectively, Sinha could ask 78 questions but he participated in 40 debates.

If Biatha is opposite to his own party chief Soren in seriousness, Ajay Kumar of JVM (P) too is opposite to his party boss Marandi in terms of attending sessions and asking questions. Kumar raised 126 questions and has presented three private members' bills. Independent MP from Chatra Inder Singh Namdhari recorded 90% attendance where as Giridih MP Ravindra Pandey 88%. Pandey has, however, participated in 135 debates and raised 542 questions more than double of national average.