Stalemate remains between BJP, JMM in Jharkhand

Though JMM and other alliance partners seem to be in agreement that Jharkhand Chief Minister`s post should go to BJP, stalemate due to differences over other issues continued today even as NDA allies agreed to continue talks.

New Delhi: Though JMM and other alliance
partners seem to be in agreement that Jharkhand Chief
Minister`s post should go to BJP, stalemate due to differences
over other issues continued today even as NDA allies agreed to
continue talks.

"The talks between BJP, JMM, AJSU and JD(U) were held in
a cordial and positive atmosphere. The talks were held in the
context of the letter written to BJP President Nitin Gadkari
by JMM Legislature Party leader Hemant Soren. We will continue
our talks," BJP General Secretary Ananth Kumar said.

Sources said though all allies seemed agreeable that
Chief Ministership should go to BJP, there were several
hiccups from all sides which need to be dealt with.
Gadkari held a four-hour meeting with Hemant Soren, AJSU
President and Deputy Chief Minister Sudesh Mahato, JD(U) state
unit president Jaleshwar Mahato, JMM rebels Teklal Mahato and
Champai Soren, Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Raghuvar
Das and party central leaders Rajnath Singh, Kumar and Ramlal.

"Today`s talks related to the present NDA government in
Jharkhand and how to keep Congress at bay in the state. We
will continue talks to chalk out future course of action,"
Kumar said.

Meanwhile, Hemant Soren denied there was a JMM proposal
that his father Shibu Soren continue as Chief Minister till
June 30 when he completes six months in office without getting
elected to the Jharkhand assembly.

"Who is saying this? You (the press) people make up these
things," he said in reply to a question on the issue.

Though a section in JMM is said to have pressed for
this, BJP leaders associated with the talks said the demand
was not made to them.

If pressed for this demand, BJP would be in an
embarassing position as it cannot withold the pending
withdrawal of support to Shibu Soren government for two
months.

With Gadkari leaving for Nagpur on Sunday morning, party
leaders said an outcome before Monday or Tuesday was virtually
ruled out.

BJP, JMM, AJSU and JD(U) are in favour of forming an
alternative government to ward off attempts by Congress-led
UPA to impose President`s rule in Jharkhand.

However, BJP`s main concern is formation of a stable
government to prevent loss of face and warding off the
charge of being labelled an opportunistic and power-hungry
party.

Arjun Munda and Yashwant Sinha, both believed to be in
race for Chief Ministership, did not participate in the
meeting.

Six rebel MLAs had earlier declared that they would not
support Hemant in a BJP-led government.
"We have come here to make our Dishom Guru Shibu Soren
the Chief Minister," Teklal Mahato, one of the JMM rebels who
had earlier hinted that talks with Congress were also
possible, said before meeting Gadkari.

BJP fears a President`s Rule in Jharkhand would mean a
virtual Congress rule in the state.

BJP leaders also apprehend that in case Congress forms a
government in Jharkhand with JMM, Babulal Marandi`s JVM-P and
Lalu Prasad`s RJD, it may also lead to poaching of some BJP
MLAs in the politically volatile state.

Wary of uncertainty and instability of the new government
in the offing, BJP central leaders have asked the JMM MLAs to
submit letter of support to the former latest by Tuesday.

With six of the 18 JMM MLAs in Jharkhand showing signs of
rebellion, BJP leaders were worried that the majority mark of
42 in the 82 member assembly may be too fickle.

Six rebels MLAs from JMM had said that they would not
work in a government which has Hemant Soren as Deputy Chief
Minister. They had even threatened to talk to the Congress on
possibilities of forming a government.

A senior BJP leader said the party wanted a stable
government in the state and the exercise was being undertaken
for this and to remove all uncertainties about JMM support.

PTI

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