The only other parallel is Jagdambika Pal, who in the late 1980s, became the reviled and unfortunate chief minister of Uttar Pradesh for just one day before his government crashed. Shibu Soren known as 'Guruji' in Santhal, could face the same fate in Jharkhand. Opinion is divided on whether he will be chief minister for 72 hours or 72 days. The bet is on how long he will continue.
How did the lion of Santhal come to such a pass? Soren is one of the best known mass leaders of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, weeded to an independence of Jharkhand not now, when new-fangled theories about smaller states becoming more governable became fashionable, but since the 1970s.
Jharkhand has contributed some very famous, proud sons to India - Birsa Munda's anti British struggle is chronicled in history. The other great leader of the Jharkhandis was Jaipal Munda, whose legacy was inherited by Soren after he died.
Soren's idea was Jharkhand was fashioned by an agitation against the 'diku' (outsider). The three hated figures in Jharkhand when it was part of undivided Bihar were the Chhota (the Sikh transporters who attempted to 'colonise' the region); the Sota (the strongmen of Eastern UP who flowed into Jharkhand, believing they could hold sway over an unlettered cowering mass of tribals) and the Lota, the marwari trader. Soren in his younger days was a Scarlet Pimpernal kind of character for the tribals.
This is why in the Jharkhand tribal mind, no blame goes to him for any of his outrageous antics - whether it is the Chirrudih massacre of the 'outsider' or the allegation of 'bribery' levelled against the PV Narasimha Rao regime to which the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha MPs were party.
In his heydays, Soren's support in Jharkhand had to be seen to be believed. But like tribals everywhere - whether in west Bengal or in Nagaland - there was no political strategy in what his colleagues did. In the undivided Bihar Assembly, JMM always had 40 or 50 MLAs at any given time.
They were the currency of the ruling regime in Patna. Indeed, Lalu Prasad has had dealings with JMM which have saved his government at least once, if not on more occasions.
However, like all big leaders, Soren found it impossible to make way for a new leadership which led to rebellion against him. Also, the new Jharkhandi began to realise that though he owed his standing to the devotion of the tribals, the demographic structure of the state was undergoing a change.
Several younger leaders saw merit in doing deals with the Church, with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)'s Seva Bharati and other Hindu tribals outfits. The slogan was now not "against the Diku" but "with the diku".
It was this utilitarian view of politics that has brought the JMM to what it is today, with leaders like Karia Munda, Arjun Munda and Babulal Marandi becoming challengers to Soren. The problem is that Soren - like other tribal outfits - has never leveraged his leadership; only his numerical strength, in his politics.
He may be venal, he may be 'tainted' but make no mistake - in Jharkhand, he is still 'Guruji'. Which is why the current episode with Governor Syed Sibtey Razi being in a tearing hurry to prevent the NDA from forming a government in the state is so unfortunate.
The chances are that with the reins of power and patronage in his hands, Soren might just be able to manage the vote of confidence. But it is the Jharkhand tribals who will lose yet again.
