Jharkhand issue: BJP seeks time, Cong. says no numbers

While the Bharatiya Janata Party sought a day’s time for its view on the prospects of government formation, the Congress said it did not have the numbers when Jharkhand Governor M.O.H. Farooq on Monday sought their opinion following Chief Minister Shibu Soren’s resignation.

Mr. Shibu Soren, whose government was reduced to a minority after the BJP had withdrawn its support, quit on Sunday night after failing to get the support of the Congress and its ally the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantric).

BJP State president Raghuvar Das who met the Governor twice in the morning over prospects of government formation told reporters that he has sought time till Tuesday.

He said he would consult with leaders and MLAs and place the governor’s proposal before them. “The governor will be informed about whatever decision is taken,” Mr. Das said.

To a question that most MLAs were for exploring possibilities of government formation, he said, “The State leadership has no such information. All MLAs and leaders are united and will follow the directive of the central leadership.”

Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition Rajendra Prasad Singh told reporters after meeting the Governor that his party, the Congress, did not have the required number in the 82-member House to form an alternative government.

“As of now we don’t have numbers. Can we stake claim with only 14 MLAs? We told the Governor that we will come to him only when we will have sufficient numbers,” he said.

The Congress is against imposition of President’s Rule or mid-term polls in Jharkhand. The party would discuss with its allies before taking any decision, Mr. Singh said.

On whether the party is willing to talk to the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, the Congress leader said, “We are talking to different parties.”

Among the major parties, the JMM and the BJP have 18 MLAs each followed by the Congress with 14 members and its ally JVM(P) 11.