New Delhi: BJP, which had once dubbed JMM
supremo Shibu Soren as "tainted", on Wednesday saw nothing wrong in
making him the chief minister of Jharkhand saying it was a
strategy to thwart attempts to break parties or continue with
President's Rule in the state.
Newly-appointed BJP chief Nitin Gadkari said his party
would be with JMM for five years but was evasive when asked
what it would do if the Supreme Court gives an adverse
judgement against Soren in the Shashinath Jha murder case
which is to come up for hearing soon.
"Politics is a game of political compulsions," he told
agency in an interview when asked why BJP decided to form the
government with JMM in Jharkhand despite it having attacked
Soren of being "tainted" and even stalled Parliament demanding
his resignation as a Minister in the previous UPA government.
"There is a difference between strategy and conviction,"
he said, explaining the reasons for the decision.
He alleged that there were attempts to break parties to
form a government in the wake of the hung assembly thrown up
by the recent elections or continue with President's Rule.
"We will cross the bridge when we come to it," he said
when asked what BJP would do if the murder case against Soren
goes against him.
He justified the decision to form government in Jharkhand
as it was in the interest of the people and expressed
confidence in giving a clean, effective government in the
state through a Common Minimum Programme.
Soren, heading a five-party coalition including BJP, was
today sworn in as chief minister for the third time by
Governor K Sankanarayanan.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, December 30, 2009, 21:55