World | India
Jharkhand ruling coalition authorises Central leaders to name chief minister
With the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) in Jharkhand failing to agree on a successor to Shibu Soren as chief minister, it has been left to the central leaders of the coalition to come up with a consensus candidate.
- Agencies
- Published: 23:42 January 13, 2009
Ranchi: With the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) in Jharkhand failing to agree on a successor to Shibu Soren as chief minister, it has been left to the central leaders of the coalition to come up with a consensus candidate.
Shibu Soren, chief of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), and former chief minister Madhu Koda were scheduled to leave for New Delhi yesterday to meet the central UPA leaders.
The state's ruling alliance met on Monday night and decided to authorise the central leaders, such as Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief and Railways Minister Lalu Prasad, to decide on the next chief minister.
The meeting was held at the chief minister's residence and attended by all the UPA partners.
The leaders were unable to agree on a single name for the top job. While the JMM is sticking to Champai Soren for the post, the RJD is keen that Koda, an independent legislator, be made chief minister again.
After the meeting, Shibu Soren told reporters: "The JMM is the single largest party and we have projected Champai Soren as our next chief minister candidate."
Election threat
He added, "The final decision will be taken after consulting Sonia Gandhi and Lalu Prasad."
After giving in his resignation Monday, Soren had said: "Either Champai is selected or elections are the only option."
The UPA partners are not keen on Champai Soren.
"We cannot allow the JMM to do political experiments one after another. Champai is a dummy candidate and he could be replaced by Soren after two months," a senior Congress leader said.
Political experts however feel that the UPA partners will fall in line if the JMM sticks to its stand. The central UPA leaders may ask Shibu Soren to suggest another name.
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