By IANS,
Ranchi : Jharkhand Chief Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) head Shibu Soren is the United Progressive Alliance’s (UPA) choice for the Tamar assembly by-election on Dec 29 with none of the alliance partners putting up candidates.
The decision was taken at a meeting of state UPA leaders Wednesday night. Soren will file his nomination papers on Friday.
“UPA has decided to field Soren as the joint candidate in the Tamar assembly by-election. UPA partners will campaign in favour of Soren and ensure his victory,” state Congress president Pradeep Kumar Balmuchu told reporters.
Soren, a member of the Lok Sabha, has to get elected to the Jharkhand assembly before Feb 27. He took oath as chief minister on Aug 27. According to the constitution, any person can become chief minister or minister but he or she has to get elected to the state legislature within six months of taking office.
The Tamar assembly seat fell vacant after Janata Dal-United (JD-U) legislator Ramesh Singh Munda was killed by suspected Maoists a few months ago.