Jharkhand, December 26: The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha on Friday claimed it would form government in Jharkhand under the leadership of its president Shibu Soren with the support of BJP and AJSU.
“The BJP and AJSU have agreed to support the JMM,” party Vice-President Hemlal Murmu told newsmen at Soren’s residence.
The BJP won 18 seats and has a prepoll alliance with JD(U) which won two seats.
The JMM has 18 seats and the AJSU five and the total adds up to 43 in the 81-member house—more than majority mark.
Suspense over Jharkhand govt formation persists
Suspense over government formation in Jharkhand persisted on Friday with JMM chief Shibu Soren, who is claiming the chief minister’s post, saying he was keeping all options open while BJP hinted that it may support him.
Soren, whose party has 18 MLA’s in the 81-member Assembly, the same as that of BJP, was elected as leader of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha legislature party on Friday morning ng and has been authorised to hold talks with other parties for forming government.
BJP leaders, who have favoured extending support to any anti-Congress group in government formation, are likely to leave a final decision on the issue to the party’s central leadership.
The BJP has won 18 seats in the assembly elections, which threw up a fractured mandate, and ally JD(U) two.
With 18 legislators of JMM it would reach a figure of 38, three short of the halfway mark.
The All Jharkhand Students Union, which has five MLAs, said without specifying that it will support a combination which can give a stable government.
“I will support a combination which can give a stable and progressive government,” AJSU chief Sudesh Mahato said.
In case the AJSU and the BJP decide to support, the JMM can stake its claim with the backing of 43 legislators.
The Congress, on its part, said the state needs a secular dispensation which can provide a strong and development- oriented government but did not spell out its strategy.
Soren, who has said that he would talk to all like-minded parties, including the BJP, has already spoken to BJP leader and former chief minister Arjun Munda.
The JMM chief has made it clear that he had never said BJP was a communal party and that he had no reservation on holding talks with it.
Soren’s son, Hemant, had on Thursday urged all political parties, including the BJP, to support his father as the chief minister.
“Shibu Soren is not only the senior most political leader, but has made many sacrifices for the creation of Jharkhand. Therefore, he should get the support to become the chief minister,” the newly elected MLA from Dumka said.
Meanwhile, AICC National Spokesman Mohan Prakash said “The Congress would like to have a strong and stable government which can put the state on the fast-lane of development.”
“The state has suffered a lot in the past, and now it needs a secular dispensation,” he said.
The Congress and the JVM-P of former chief minister Babulal Marandi have emerged as the single largest alliance with 25 seats.
Marandi has already asked the Congress to name the alliance’s chief ministerial candidate so that his party could appeal to like-minded parties for support in the formation of a new government.
—Agencies