BJP tries to strike deal with Soren

New Delhi/Patna, Dec. 25: With the leading Congress-JVM alliance on Friday unwilling to make the JMM head, Mr Sibu Soren, CM of the state, the rival BJP jumped into the fray and has sent positive signals to the tribal stalwart.

A situation emerged on a day with hectic political activities, where state BJP leaders appeared willing to bury their differences with the rival JMM. They’re now willing to form a coalition government with Mr Soren as CM.

The former chief minister of the state and senior BJP leader, Mr Arjun Munda, who on Thursday had conceded that the party was ready to sit in the Opposition, as there were reports that the rival alliance, led by the Congress, was trying to strike a deal with the JMM.

“But today Mr Munda held a discussion with other senior leaders including state unit chief, Mr Raghubar Das, senior leader, Mr Yashwant Sinha and deputy speaker of Lok Sabha, Mr Karia Munda in the presence of party in-charge of the state Mr Karuna Shukla. The leaders agreed to work towards keeping the Congress-JVM out of power,” sources in the BJP said.

While BJP national spokesman, Mr Ravi Sh-ankar Prasad described Mr Soren as a “great leader” in Patna, senior JMM leader and MLA, Mr Hemlal Murmu said in Ranchi after a JMM meeting, “The party is on the threshold of forming a government. The JMM and the BJP are forming this government. Mr Soren will be the CM.”

Meanwhile, the Congress, which ran into Mr Soren’s insistence on top job in the state, said, it was not in a hurry to initiate talks and disapproved of any precondition, a stand similar to that of its ally JVM.