The forthcoming visit to Jharkhand by Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on May 14,followed by the Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on May 19,may end speculations on the fate of Jharkhand

Right now,all kinds of guessing games are on whether the Congress party will come forward to form coalition government comprising JMM,RJD and Independents such as Enos Ekka and Harinarain Rai who were out of jail on bail on corruption charges or it will go for the dissolution of the Jharkhand Assembly and pave the way for holding elections before the end of this year.

The six month term of the ongoing President’s Rule will end on July 18.A dominant group within the Congress led by Union Rural Development Minister Jai Ram Ramesh was in favour of dissolving the Assembly and holding the polls under the extended term of the President’s rule in November –January when four other states-Chattisgarh,Delhi,Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan are slated to go for polls.

In any case,the six month term of the ongoing President’s Rule is slated to end on July 18.Basking under the glory of its splendid performance in the Karnataka Assembly polls,many Congress leaders including Ramesh are not inclined to form the government with tainted Independents and unpredictable JMM.They believe that once the party joined hands with them,the rival BJP will gain milege in the next polls.

Against this back ground,the party high command had directed its leaders and workers to ensure that the party programmes of Shinde and Rahul,who was scheduled to address a massive meeting of tribals in Jharkhand,are a grand success.

It is learnt that after Shinde and Rahul return to Delhi from Ranchi ,the party high command may take a decision about the fate of Jharkhand.The recent statement of the Congress party’s state unit incharge Shakeel Ahmad that the Assembly will not be dissolved was understood to be a design to keep the JMM which was desperate to form the government,in good humor.

As of now,indications are that the decision on Jharkhand matters can be taken on reports and assessment of both Shinde and Rahul in the coming weeks.