Zeenews Bureau
Ranchi: JMM chief Shibu Soren on Thursday made it amply clear that he wants to become the Chief Minister of the state and will not compromise on the CM post.
Talking to media persons, Soren said, “No compromise will be made on CM post. The JMM is the single largest party and I should be given the chance to form the government."
"I do not want to be kingmaker, I want to be king. It`s not important now what Arjun Munda (of the BJP) and Babulal Marandi (of the JVM-P) are stating. Now everything depends on me," Soren told reporters in Bokaro, a day after the assembly elections threw up a badly fractured verdict.
Both Munda and Marandi are former chief ministers.
Asked if would accept a central cabinet berth, as some Congress leaders had suggested, in lieu of the chief minister`s post, he said categorically that there "was no such possibility".
"My role is important for a stable and corruption free government in Jharkhand."
He also made it clear that he is ready to form government with either both UPA or NDA depending on whosoever offers him CM’s post.
"No political party is untouchable for me. I can go with anyone who is ready to give a strong and stable government to boost development in the state as well as a corruption free government."
"I am the key person in formation of the state government. It is now time to teach some lessons to the opportunists who several times ditched me, which resulted in unstable and corrupt governments."
"Guruji (Soren) has always been the king and not the king maker ... the JMM holds the key," claimed Suprio Bhattacharya, the party`s organisational secretary, indicating that nothing less than the chief minister`s post for Soren would satisfy the rank and file.
With the electorate turning a fractured mandate in the Jharkhand Assembly polls, Soren has emerged an unlikely hero with 18 seats in his kitty. Soren is the key for formation of any government in the state. The single largest alliance, Congress-JVM(P) has got only 25 seats, 16 short of majority and they are looking at ‘Guruji’ and other Independent MLAs (13) for support.
As political uncertainty started at the mineral-rich state following the fractured verdict after President`s Rule for nearly a year, the Cong-JVM(P) combine with 25 seats and the BJP-JD(U) alliance with 20 seats wooed Soren, a two-time chief minister.
Reeling under a string of electoral debacles, the BJP had no respite and fared badly getting only 18 seats down by 12 while JD(U) got two, down by four.
Continuing its good electoral run since the Lok Sabha elections, the Congress, which fought in alliance with Babulal Marandi led-JVM(P), bagged 14 seats, five more than in the previous polls. Its partner, JVM(P) headed by former chief minister Babulal Marandi, which fought the state elections for the first time, romped home with an impressive 11 seats.
JMM, fighting on its own, secured 18 seats, down by one.
Another party which could play an important role is RJD, Congress` former ally and now outside supporter of the UPA government at the Centre. Lalu Prasad`s party has got 5 seats that could be crucial to formation of a government of a secular combine.
Both the Congress and BJP made it clear that they were keen on forming a government in which 13 MLAs belonging to the `Others` category and Independents would be much-sought after by rival combinations.
"Based on the numbers, talks will be held to form a government," said Shibu Soren shortly after the verdict.
Soren`s son Hemant, who won from Dumka, said "without the JMM, nobody can form a government. We will meet tonight to discuss our future course of action."
Expressing Congress` desire that it wants to lead the next coalition, party spokesman Manish Tewari said: "The Congress is the single largest party in the single largest group".
"In certain circumstances stepping up for public service is also a sacrifice," he said in New Delhi when asked whether the party is ready to make sacrifices on its claim for chief ministership.
Congress leaders described RJD as a "UPA constituent" and JMM chief Shibu Soren as a "family member" despite the fact that they were not part of the Congress-led pre-poll alliance.
The BJP Parliamentary Board met in New Delhi under the chairmanship of the newly-elected President Nitin Gadkari to discuss the strategy in Jharkhand.
After the meeting, Parliamentary Board spokesman Ananth Kumar did not rule out the possibility of party trying to form the government.
RJD chief Lalu Prasad indicated that he was ready to forge an alliance with Congress and JMM for forming a government.
The RJD-led alliance fared badly winning only six seats -- RJD - five and Marxist Coordination Committee - one.
RJD had won seven seats in the previous Assembly and played a key role in the formation of the Madhu Koda and Shibu Soren governments, which, however, did not last their full term.
President`s Rule was imposed on the state in January 19 this year after Soren, who was not a member of the Assembly then, lost in a by-election and had to step down as chief minister.
The BJP Parliamentary Board met in New Delhi under the chairmanship of the newly-elected President Nitin Gadkari to discuss the strategy in Jharkhand.
After the meeting, Parliamentary Board spokesman Ananth Kumar did not rule out the possibility of party trying to form the government.
RJD chief Lalu Prasad indicated that he was ready to forge an alliance with Congress and JMM for forming a government.
The RJD-led alliance fared badly winning only six seats -- RJD - five and Marxist Coordination Committee - one.
RJD had won seven seats in the previous Assembly and played a key role in the formation of the Madhu Koda and Shibu Soren governments, which, however, did not last their full term.
President`s Rule was imposed on the state in January 19 this year after Soren, who was not a member of the Assembly then, lost in a by-election and had to step down as chief minister.
