The way for Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief Shibu Soren to become chief minister was cleared today after incumbent Madhu Koda and independent MLA Stephen Marandi agreed to support him at the intervention of RJD chief Lalu Prasad.
Later, Soren staked claim to form the new government after the backing of the Congress and the RJD.
Soren(64) met Governor Syed Sibte Razi and submitted a list of 42 legislators supporting him after obtaining letters of support from Koda and Marandi, the outgoing deputy chief minister.
Soren staked claim in the presence of Koda, Marandi and Union minister Subodh Kant Sahai, “The governor said he would intimate me. I have submitted a list of 42 MLAs,” Soren said. There is no word from the Raj Bhavan yet.
The JMM’s student’s wing head, Hemant Soren, told newsmen that the list comprised legislators from the JMM (17), the Congress (nine), the RJD (seven), the United Goan Democratic Party (two), the Jharkhand Party (one), the Nationalist Congress Party (one), the Forward Bloc (one), and four independent MLAs — Koda, Marandi, Harinarai Rai and Bhanu Pratap Sahi.
Jharkhand assembly has an effective strength of 81.
This is the second time in three years Soren has staked claim to form the government during the tenure of the current Assembly. He took oath as chief minister in March, 2005, but had to resign within nine days after failing to muster a majority.
Earlier in the day, on the advice of Prasad, Koda and Marandi gave letters of support to Soren before the media.
Koda, who had been saying that he would not support Soren and would review whether to continue in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) or not ever since he quit on Saturday, changed his stand and agreed to support Soren to form a ministry after meeting the RJD chief.
“Laluji and Guruji (Soren) came to my residence. According to our traditional values, atithi deva bhava (guests are like God). Moreover, after second thought, I decided to support him in the interest of the UPA’s unity,” Koda told newsmen.
Asked whether he had kept open the option for joining the impending Soren ministry, Koda said such things did not figure in the meeting. “I told them to continue the unfinished development works that were taken up during my 23-month tenure,” Koda added.
Another Independent MLA and a staunch critic of Soren, Marandi, also handed over his letter of support to Soren.
“See, both of them (Koda and Stephen) are giving the letters of support to him (Soren),” Prasad told the media but refused to entertain any question on the political situation in Jharkhand.
