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Soren to make way for BJP Govt by May 25

Vijay Deo Jha | Ranchi | Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Ending a three-week long political impasse in Jharkhand, the ruling combine in the State — the JMM, BJP and AJSU on Tuesday reached an agreement on sharing power on rotational basis with a BJP-led Government headed by Arjun Munda to take over within a week.

At a joint Press conference, leaders of the alliance on Tuesday said that they have crossed the “first hurdle” with regard to transfer of power in the State. If everything goes according to their plans, Chief Minister Shibu Soren will resign on May 25 to make way for the BJP to form Government.

“We have decided that the BJP and JMM will share power for 28 months each with the BJP taking over in the first phase,” Chief Minister Shibu Soren and BJP’s chief ministerial candidate Arjun Munda told mediapersons after a meeting of the coalition partners.

Asked when he would step down as Chief Minister, Soren replied “very soon” without giving a date. The BJP and AJSU leaders, however, claimed the power shift would take place on May 25.

“As a general secretary of the party, I was asked by my party to take the initiative for the formation of the Government. You must be thinking about the next CM. Central BJP will nominate the CM in the coming days. You will be informed about all developments,” Munda said.

According to sources, the alliance partners would hold further meetings to iron out differences on “certain” issues.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister and Munda’s arch rival Raghuwar Das publicly displayed his frustration by leaving the meeting in the middle. He kept away from the media briefing at the party headquarters addressed by Munda. Das is also the State president of the party.

Munda faction often blamed that Das for creating hurdles for the former Chief Minister. They said Das had told the JMM not accept Munda as the next Chief Minister.

Although coalition partners have claimed to have reached a consensus, sources told The Pioneer that there is still disagreement over the BJP’s choice for the CM, and distribution of portfolios.

If there is a factor that forced both the parties to negotiating table was news coming from the Raj Bhavan where Governor MOH Farook reportedly summoned the Advocate General to seek his advice over constitutional crisis.

“We do not want President’s rule in Jharkhand. We are united for the development of the State,” Hemant Soren told The Pioneer.

The BJP had announced its decision to withdraw support to the Shibu Soren government on April 28 after the JMM chief voted against the BJP-sponsored cut-motions in the Lok Sabha.