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Crisis brewing as defeated Soren refuses to resign
Crisis is brewing within the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) over the post of chief minister of the eastern state of Jharkhand.
- By Ajay JhaChief, Correspondent
- Published: 23:47 January 9, 2009
New Delhi: Crisis is brewing within the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) over the post of chief minister of the eastern state of Jharkhand.
Despite his defeat in an assembly by-election on Thursday, the incumbent, Chief Minister Shibu Soren, refuses to resign. Meanwhile, the Congress party, which heads the UPA, says Soren must respect the people's will.
Soren, who reached New Delhi along with two of his ministers on Thursday night, suffered a reversal even before his planned meeting with the top leadership of the UPA with the Congress party making its opinion heard.
"The defeat is a setback for the government. It is the verdict of the people and the verdict should be honoured," Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmad said yesterday, adding that the decision on a new chief minister for the state would be taken in a day or two.
Soren is scheduled to meet UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and the Congress party's point man on Jharkhand, Ajay Maken, to discuss his future.
Refusal
While Soren's refusal to leave his post despite his failure to be elected to the state assembly is embarrassing for the UPA, he is in no mood to quit without bargaining hard.
He said there is no provision in the Constitution stating that someone in his position must step down following a defeat. A chief minister can remain in his or her post for six months without being a member of the assembly, Soren says. His six-month tenure expires on February 26.
Soren, who heads the regional Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, is known for his negotiating skills. Intense bargaining behind the scenes ahead of the Lok Sabha's July Trust Motion resulted in his appointment as chief minister of Jharkhand on August 27.
It is believed Soren hopes to persuade one of his party's legislators from the state's Santhal region to resign from the assembly so that he can contest that seat. The chief minister supposedly enjoys greater support there than in Tamar, where he was defeated. A victory in Santhal would enable Soren to continue as chief minister.
Failing that, it is alleged he has ambitions to become federal coal minister once more.
Soren contends that his membership of the Lok Sabha legitimises his claim for a berth in the federal government.
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