World | India
Soren leaves tough decision to party
Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren said on Saturday any decision regarding his resignation - following his defeat in an assembly by-election - would be taken at a meeting of his Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) party.
- IANS
- Published: 23:35 January 10, 2009
Ranchi: Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren said on Saturday any decision regarding his resignation - following his defeat in an assembly by-election - would be taken at a meeting of his Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) party.
"Any decision regarding resignation will be taken at a party meeting. After holding a meeting with the party leaders, I will again go to New Delhi," Soren told reporters in Ranchi shortly after returning from New Delhi.
Soren, whose JMM is part of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), is apparently under pressure from coalition partners, the Congress party and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), to resign as chief minister.
JMM sources dropped hints that Soren would step down after the party's central committee meeting yesterday. The party's future course of action, including a replacement for Soren, were among key issues slated for discussion.
Sources said RJD chief and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav told Soren in no uncertain terms that he would have to step down as chief minister.
Lawmaker's offer
Soren lost the Tamar assembly by-election by 9,062 votes to Jharkhand Party candidate Raja Peter on Thursday. He flew to New Delhi the same night to hold a meeting with UPA leaders.
Meanwhile, the political drama in Jharkhand took a new turn on Friday when a suspended Bharatiya Janata Party legislator, Vishnu Bhaiya, resigned from the assembly to offer Soren a chance to fight another by-election and retain his post.
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