Opposition to field consensus candidate against Shibu Soren

Jharkhand chief minister Shibu Soren, who has to get elected to the assembly by June-end, will have to contend with a consensus candidate of Opposition parties from wherever he contests the bypolls, a senior Congress leader said today.

"We will put up a united and winnable candidate againstSoren, JMM president, from wherever he contests," Pradip Kumar Balmuchu, Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee president, told news reporters in Jamshedpur.

Balmuchu told newsmen here that if Soren decided to fight the bypoll from any seat in Santhal Parganas region, the Opposition would give the ticket to Jharkhand Vikash Morcha (Prajatantrik) (JVM-P).

"We may even field JVM-P chief and MP, Babulal Marandi, a former Jharkhand chief minister, against Soren in the Santhal Parganas," he said, adding Congress would field its candidate in case the chief minister opted for a seat outside the Santhal Parganas.

When reminded of the past friendly relationship between Congress and JMM, Balmuchu claimed that Soren had not done anything praise-worthy during the last three months in power.

Soren, meanwhile, on Saturday said that he had not yet decided from where he would contest a bypoll. "There is nothing to worry. I will take a decision very soon."

The JMM chief, who had taken oath as the chief minister on December 30, has to be elected as an MLA before June-end as per Constitutional requirement.