JMM offers to share CM’s chair with BJP in rotation

Days after pledging support to a Bharatiya Janata Party-led government, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha on Friday offered the chief minister’s chair to its ally in rotation.

Days after pledging support to a Bharatiya Janata Party-led government, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) on Friday offered the chief minister’s chair to its ally in rotation.

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After two back-to-back meetings on late Thursday night and Friday noon, the JMM delegation in Delhi suggested that the two parties occupy the chair for about two years each.

Although the BJP is supposed to take a call on this offer, many top leaders sounded unhappy over the way the JMM has been changing positions.

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. While Rajnath Singh, Ananth Kumar and Jharkhand Deputy CM Raghubar Das were meeting the JMM delegation led by Hemant Soren on Friday, BJP president Nitin Gadkari was also present during the late Thursday night parley.