The UPA will support Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief Shibu Soren’s bid to become chief minister of the state. The support, however, comes with a rider.
But the numbers will be the JMM chief’s responsibility
NEW DELHI: The UPA will support Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief Shibu Soren’s bid to become chief minister of the state. The support, however, comes with a rider. Soren will have to muster the requisite numbers himself by winning over the five independent MLAs supporting the Madhu Koda government.
“We will support Soren if he forms the government,” AICC general secretary in-charge of Jharkhand Ajay Maken said.
The latest twist in Soren’s bid to return to power in Jharkhand came after the JMM leader decided to give up his claim to a post in the Union ministry.
Soren and his five-member JMM had supported the UPA government’s vote of confidence in July after he was promised a berth in the central cabinet. Soren was earlier supposed to take over as coal minister — a position he vacated after being convicted in a 1975 massacre case. But he reportedly changed his mind because the
Lok Sabha elections are due in another six-seven months, which would give him very little time as minister. In contrast, the Jharkhand government has three years left.
Soren, however, is still some distance away from becoming the CM as Koda was reportedly not keen on stepping down till Monday evening. An independent MLA, he is heading the government with the support of JMM, Congress, RJD and seven independents. In the 81-member House, the JMM has 17 MLAs, Congress nine and RJD seven.
On his part, the JMM chief has made it clear that he is not willing to wait for long and has summoned a meeting of his supporters on August 17.
Apart from the Congress, the other stakeholders in Jharkhand, such as the RJD and the LJP, have also adopted a similar position. Both Lalu Prasad and Ram Vilas Paswan said they were willing to support Soren, but made it clear the JMM chief would have to win over the independents.
j_ansari@dnaindia.net
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