Shibu Soren all set to become Jharkhand CM with BJP support

JMM supremo Shibu Soren was today all set to become the Jharkhand Chief Minister with the support of BJP and AJSU.
   
65-year-old Soren staked his claim before governor K Sankaranarayanan to whom he handed over a list of 42 MLAs-18 each from JMM and BJP, five from All Jharkhand Students Union and one from Jharkhand Janadhikar Manch led by Bandhu Tirkey-- in the 81-member Assembly.
   
"We have the required majority to form the new government," Soren, who was twice chief minister of the tribal state, told reporters.
   
"We have given the letter of support to the JMM to form the government under the leadership of Shibu Soren," BJP legislature party leader Raghuvar Das told PTI after a meeting of party MLAs.
   
Soren was accompanied by Das and AJSU legislature party leader Sudesh Mahato to Raj Bhavan.
   
The JMM chief told the governor that he had the required majority to form the government, which would be the seventh dispensation in over nine years after the state's creation.
   
Asked whether BJP would join the government, its vice-president Karuna Shukla said, "We have just given a letter of support to JMM chief Shibu Soren. We will decide after the governor invites Soren to form the government."
   
To a question about the two MLAs of JD(U), an ally of the BJP, former chief minister and BJP leader Arjun Munda said the JD(U) legislature party would meet after which its decision would be conveyed to the BJP.