Hemant Soren stakes claim to form government in Jharkhand

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Ranchi: Backed by Congress, JMM legislature party leader Hemant Soren on Tuesday met Jharkhand Governor Syed Ahmed and staked claim to form a new government in the state, claiming the support of 43 MLAs in the 82-member assembly.
Emerging from the Raj Bhavan, Soren said he had submitted to the Governor a list of 43 MLAs supporting his claim to form the government in the state which is under President's rule.
"President's rule has been in force in Jharkhand for the last six months and we have initiated the democratic process to form the government with the support of Congress, RJD and independents.
"We are ready and waiting for the Governor's invitation. Even if he does it tomorrow, we are ready," Soren told reporters.
Jharkhand assembly has 82 seats and is in suspended animation since President's rule was imposed on January 18 after JMM pulled out from the BJP-led government on January 8. The staking of claim to form the government came nine days before the six-month spell of President’s rule ends
Soren, who was Deputy Chief Minister in the previous government, was accompanied by Jharkhand PCC president Sukhdeo Bhagat, CLP leader Rajendra Prasad Singh, RJDLP leader Annapurna Devi, Independent MLAs Geeta Koda, wife of former CM Madhu Koda and Bidesh Singh and Jharkhand Jandhikar Manch MLA Bandhu Tirkey.
Replying to a query by reporters, Soren said the newly- cobbled alliance would work for all-round development of Jharkhand by taking constructive initiatives.
Thanking all the supporting parties and independent MLAs, he expressed confidence that he would prove his majority on the floor of the house in 24 hours notice.
Marxist Coordination Committee MLA Arup Chatterjee, who was present at Raj Bhavan when Soren staked claim, said his party lent support on the issue of development of the state, particularly the coal belt.
Chatterjee, who represents Nirsa in Dhanbad district in the assembly, also asked JMM to include one of his party representatives in the allaince Coordination Committee.
Soren had on December 25 last year submitted a charter of demands, including swapping of power between BJP and JMM, following a deal to rule 28 months to the then chief minister Arjun Munda.
BJP had formed the government with Munda as chief minister on September 11, 2010 with the support of JMM, AJSU party, JD(U) and independent MLAs Chamra Linda and Bidesh Singh.
Following the rejection of certain demands, JMM had withdrawn support to Munda government on January 8, leading to the imposition of President’s rule which ends on July 18.
Munda had then expressed doubt whether it was the charter of demands which was the only reason or any other party (read Congress) which had forced JMM to pull out from the government.
As per the agreement, JMM will have its chief minister and will concede to Congress ten out of the 14 seats Lok Sabha seats in Jharkhand in next Lok Sabha elections.
The JMM-Cong alliance for Lok Sabha will also cover West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar and Chhattisgarh.