The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha Head Shibu Soren aka ‘Guruji’ has been offered by the Governor Syed Sibtey Razi to form the government and prove majority by September 1. The direction came after Soren met with the Governor on Monday night.
Soren will take oath as chief minister of Jharkhand for the second time on Wednesday afternoon. It is however not clear whether other ministers will take oath along with the 64-year old tribal leader.
The move came after Soren accompanied by the outgoing chief minister Madhu Koda, Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad, Congress MP Subodh Kant Sahay and other Independents met with the Jharkhand Governor with a letter of support signed by 42 legislators.
The letter named the support of 17 MLAs of JMM, nine Congress MLAs, seven RJD MLAs, four other small parties’ MLAs, and the crucial four Independents including Koda. The four Independents include outgoing chief minister Madhu Koda, Deputy CM Stephen Marandi, Health Minister Bhanu Pratap Shahi and Harinarayan Rai.
Razi asked him to form the government and seek trust vote on or before September 1.
The way for Shibu Soren to form new government became clear after Koda’s meeting with the RJD chief on late Monday that followed by his softening stand and announcement to support JMM.
The reluctant Koda, who had to step down under pressure, justifying his U-turn supporting the JMM government said, “No one is above the UPA.” He however did not clear whether he would join the government. Koda said: “I have not decided about it.”
The 23-month-old Koda’s government comprising 12 ministers was reduced to minority after 17-member JMM including three party ministers- deputy chief minister Sudhir Mahto along with two ministers Dulal Bhuinya and Nalin Soren-resigned from the government on August 17. The reluctant Koda had claimed that Independent MLAs were with him and refused to accept that his government was reduced to minority. He said he would prove the majority on the floor of the House. But, eventually Koda had to step down under UPA pressure on Saturday to make way for Soren.
This is the second time within three years when Soren will head the state. Earlier in March 2005, he had to resign within nine days after failing to prove majority in the House. His long dream of chief ministerial post started taking ground after he agreed to extend conditional support to the UPA government facing crucial trust vote in the Parliament on July 22. The UPA had promised to give two ministerial berths to his party. But, Guruji instead of accepting ministerial berth, his loving coal ministry, sought for Chief Ministerialship of Jharkhand.
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