By IANS,
Ranchi : With Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief Shibu Soren eyeing the post of Jharkhand chief minister, the party will hold a crucial meeting Sunday to decide on its support to the Madhu Koda government.
“Our party is holding a meeting on Sunday. If the independent legislators who are ministers in the government do not agree to the proposal of elevating Shibu Soren as chief minister, we may withdraw support,” a JMM leader told IANS here Saturday.
The party has also been granted a meeting with Governor Syed Sibte Razi at 7 p.m. Sunday.
After supporting the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in the central government’s trust vote last month, Soren Tuesday staked claim to the post of Jharkhand chief minister. But the current incumbent, Koda, an independent legislator supported by UPA parties, has refused to step down.
In the 82-member assembly, Koda has support of 42 legislators – 17 of JMM, nine of the Congress, seven of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the rest from smaller parties and independent legislators.
If JMM withdraws support, the Koda government will be reduced to a minority.
But Deputy Chief Minister Stephen Marandi, leading the independents who have been made ministers, told IANS: “It is nothing but a pressure tactic of JMM. The independents are united and we are not worried about the JMM move.”