NDA not obliging, so Soren to put up own show in Ranchi

NDA not obliging, so Soren to put up own show in Ranchi
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

NEW DELHI, SEPT 15: The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), which seems to be losing the battle for the chief minister's post, has decided to go in for a show of strength by organising a rally in Ranchi -- the proposed Capital of Jharkhand -- on October 15.

Party chief Shibu Soren -- known as `Guruji' -- is clearly in no mood to forego his claim to the Jharkhand CM's post even though his bargaining power vis-a-vis the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has declined due to the death of a CPI MLA on Wednesday. The Congress's refusal to play ball with the JMM has not helped Soren either.

In the 81-member Assembly (including the Ramgarh seat which has fallen vacant because of the death of CPI legislator Shabbir Ahmed Qureshi alias Bhera Singh), the NDA would have a tally of 40. It is counting on the support of two UGDP MLAs who have openly declared they would never support Soren's candidature.

But the JMM chief cites history and NDA convener George Fernandes' assurance while seeking his support to instal Union Agriculture Minister and senior Samata Party leader Nitish Kumar as the chief minister of Bihar earlier this year to buttress his case.

``They (the NDA leaders) should honour their word. It is their duty to reciprocate our gesture,'' Soren told newspersons here this afternoon. When asked whether he would be willing to reach a compromise, he replied in the negative.

Soren demanded that a NDA meeting be convened at the earliest to sort out the issue. Asked about his party's course of action if the ruling combine at the Centre rejected his claim, he said he would spell out his stand only after the meeting.