The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) - leading in 19 of 81 constituencies of the state assembly - was on Wednesday jockeying for power and said it would support the political combine that would prop its head Shibu Soren as chief minister.
Jharkhand was on Wednesday headed towards a hung assembly with indications that no political group or combine was likely to get a majority in the house.
"We will support only those who will favour Shibu Soren as the new chief minister," JMM general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya told IANS.
In trends available for the 81 seats, for which counting was on, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was ahead in 24 seats while the Congress was leading in 23.
The JMM was thus emerging as a key player in the government formation in the state, which has been under the president's rule for almost a year now.