Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) supremo Shibu Soren, an aspiring chief ministerial candidate, has begun bargaining for power.
Camping at his house in Bokaro, around 150 km north of state capital Ranchi, the JMM chief kept his cards close to his chest, refusing to announce which alliance he would prefer for the formation of a government in Jharkhand.
The assembly results threw up a fractured mandate on Wednesday with the JMM emerging as the joint largest party, winning 18 seats — as many as the rival Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Several political formations have emerged to stake claim for government-formation in the House of 81 members, but none are in a position to ignore the JMM.
“People have voted for a JMM-ruled government,” said Soren, 65, adding that he was in no hurry to rush to Ranchi for talks with prospective allies.
Soren reiterated that he would not settle for anything less than the CM’s post.
Apart from the chief minister’s chair, Soren is reportedly demanding the deputy CM’s post for his son, Dumka legislator Hemant Soren.
In Ranchi, Babulal Marandi, 51, president of the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha–Prajantantrik (JVM-P), ridiculed Soren’s stand.
“His demands are undemocratic and unwarranted,” said Marandi, whose party fought its maiden assembly elections with the Congress and won an impressive 11 seats.
{{/usCountry}}“His demands are undemocratic and unwarranted,” said Marandi, whose party fought its maiden assembly elections with the Congress and won an impressive 11 seats.
{{/usCountry}}“We can form a government without the JMM,” said Marandi. The JVM-P chief, however, quickly corrected his statement: “It would be the JMM’s compulsion to support the Congress-JVM alliance.”
Congress leaders remained non-committal on Thursday, waiting for directives from the party high command.
BJP leaders also said they would wait and watch till rival parties and alliances approached them for support.
“So far, no party has approached us for support,” said former chief minister Arjun Munda, 41, adding that the BJP will not take any initiative till they are approached.
His party president, Raghubar Das, said the BJP’s state in-charge Karuna Shukla would take a call on whom to support after meeting the party’s newly elected legislators on Thursday evening.