Ending a week-long political stalemate, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and its alliance partner, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), have agreed to a new power-sharing formula in Jharkhand. Bowing to pressure from the BJP, JMM supremo Shibu Soren is set to quit the chief minister’s chair for a BJP nominee.
The JMM and the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) today announced support to a BJP-led government in Jharkhand for the remaining four-and-a-half year tenure of the Assembly. The JMM is likely to get the post of deputy chief minister. Soren’s son, Hemant, may occupy that chair.
The BJP parliamentary board will meet on Monday to pick its chief ministerial candidate. Former Jharkhand chief minister Arjun Munda and former Union finance minister Yashwant Sinha’s names are doing the rounds as the state’s next chief minister.
The peace formula between the two partners came after long negotiations. The meeting was attended by BJP President Nitin Gadkari, senior party leader Ananth Kumar, JMM Legislature Party leader Hemant Soren and AJSU President Sudesh Mahato.
“We had fruitful discussions with senior BJP leaders. We will support a government in Jharkhand under the BJP leadership. The decision has been taken to save the state from President’s Rule,” Hemant Soren said after the meeting. BJP General Secretary Ananth Kumar said the two sides completed discussions “on a happy note.”
The BJP had decided to withdraw support from the Shibu Soren-led Jharkhand government after he voted in favour of the UPA, defeating the BJP-sponsored cut motion in Parliament last week.
“A BJP-led government will be formed in Jharkhand. We want to save the state from Congress misrule. A stable government which stands for development will be formed,” Kumar told reporters. Kumar also sounded optimistic about the new government completing its full term. “We have decided that this government will complete its full term.”
