BJP working on accepting Shibu Soren as CM in Jharkhand

In a bid to keep out Congress from power in Jharkhand where assembly polls threw up a hung assembly, the BJP leadership today appeared to be giving in to the demand of JMM leader Shibu Soren for chief ministership and was working towards cobbling a majority.
   
Former BJP president Rajnath Singh, who was given the responsibility of exploring possibilities of forming a government in Jharkhand, rushed to Ranchi tonight. He was accompanied by party general secretary Ananth Kumar.
   
Meanwhile, BJP vice president in-charge of Jharkhand Karuna Shukla held two meetings in Ranchi with party legislators to discuss the issue. A meeting of the BJP Jharkhand legislature party is scheduled for tomorrow morning to choose its leader.
   
BJP sources said the party MLAs were nearly convinced and ready to accept Shibu Soren as chief minister. Soren, whose party JMM has 18 MLAs, the same as that of BJP has put this as the primary condition for all talks of government formation.
   
"We are still unclear about whether BJP should support JMM from outside or be a part of the government. In case we join the government, we may take the post of deputy chief
Minister," a senior BJP MP said adding state party chief Raghubar Das is a front-runner for the deputy chief minister's post, sources said.
    
BJP is also hopeful of getting the support of All Jharkhand Students Union which has five MLAs. BJP and ally JD-U together have 20 MLAs.