New Delhi, May 18: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) have agreed to share power in rotation for 28 months each, Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren said . He is likely to step down on May 25 for former chief minister Arjun Munda, who may head the BJP-led government.In the 82-member Jharkhand assembly, the ruling partners have 45 members — JMM and BJP have 18 members each, AJSU five and JD-U two and two others.
“We have agreed to share power in rotation. The BJP and the JMM will each rule the state for 28 months,” the JMM chief said at a joint press conference with BJP national general secretary Munda. It was the first appearance of Soren before media with BJP leaders during the ongoing political crisis. Jharkhand has never had a non-tribal chief minister. Thirty-two per cent of the population in the state is tribal while 15 per cent are Muslims.
Soren said: “At present I am the chief minister.” He, however, did not clarify when he would step down . Munda added: “The BJP will run the government for the next 28 months and then power will be transferred to the JMM.”
According to the BJP, the transfer of power is likely to take place next week. “Shibu Soren has agreed to quit on May 25 to transfer power,” BJP leader in charge of the party’s affairs in Jharkhand Karuna Shukla said.
The JMM, it is learnt, acquiesced to giving up power after former BJP president Rajnath Singh conveyed to Soren that the party would be forced to withdraw support. According to BJP sources, the JMM was asked to take a decision on Tuesday or the BJP would withdraw support on Wednesday.
The final announcement followed a day of hectic developments with Munda going to the party office and then to Soren’s residence. He was later joined by state BJP chief and Deputy Chief Minister Raghubar Das as well as Shukla.
Also present were Soren’s son Hemant Soren and senior JMM leaders. BJP and JMM leaders were later joined by All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) chief Sudesh Mahto, who is also a deputy chief minister.
According to sources, the JMM demanded at least six ministerial posts as well as the speaker’s post. The BJP is learnt to have agreed to five minister posts and the post of deputy speaker. The meeting is also learnt to have discussed adjusting the JMM legislators on state-run boards and corporations.
“Hemant Soren and Sudesh Mahto will be two deputy chief ministers in the next BJP-headed government,” a senior JMM leader and minister said.
The BJP-JMM government in Jharkhand got destabilised when the BJP threatened to withdraw support to CM Shibu Soren when he voted against the Opposition in cut motions. Although Soren apologised and his son offered support to a BJP Chief Minister, the JMM gradually changed its positions — from an honourable exit for Soren to sharing the CM’s post.
“Nothing will happen. They are just making the BJP run around in circles,” said a BJP leader belonging to Jharkhand.
A Common Minimum Programme (CMP) on how to run the government will be chalked out soon. Gadkari is sending an observer to Ranchi to discuss the matter with BJP, JMM and All Jharkhand Students Union, and JD(U) leaders from the state.
—Agencies