BJP on Monday indicated that it would stake its claim for chief ministership in the new state of Jharkhand even as its central leaders began the process of consultations on the issue with MPs, MLAs and MLCs from the region. “We have the largest number of MLAs in the region and as the largest partner of the NDA we have the right to stake claim for forming the government in the new state,” BJP President Bangaru Laxman told reporters in New Delhi after meeting the representatives of the region.
“How many members does JMM have? only 10,” Laxman said. The BJP leaders from the region forming Jharkhand had a meeting with the party's national leadership in New Delhi on Monday. These leaders gave their views on the matter, which would be taken up soon by the party's central leadership, Party spokesman Jana Krishnamurthy told reporters. On whether BJP would support JMM leader Shibu Soren's demand for Chief Ministership, Krishnamurthy said, “BJP has not made any promise to anybody on this issue.” On JMM not keen on supporting BJP's candidature for Chief Ministership, he said that JMM would decide its course and it would be positive. Bureau Report