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Jharkhand CM’s post
BJP rejects JMM demand

NEW DELHI, Nov 1 (UNI) — Acting tough, the BJP today rejected the JMM’s demand to head the first government in the newly-created state of Jharkhand and unequivocally declared that a BJP-led NDA government would be installed there whether the JMM stayed in the NDA or opted out.

“The ball is in their court. The BJP will accept whatever they decide,” party Vice-President K. Jana Krishnamurthy told newspersons here.

Mr Krishnamurthy said it was wrong on part of the JMM to insist that they alone represented the tribal state. Of the total 32 BJP MLAs in Jharkhand, the JMM had just 12 MLAs against 14 by the BJP from the tribal areas. “How can they make such a claim,” he asked.

The BJP Vice-President said the Samata Party (SP) which had five legislators and JD (U) with its three legislators had already announced their backing to the BJP nominee for the Chief Ministership and the JMM should reconcile to it. If they had certain other proposals to participate in the government the BJP would definitely consider them, he said.

Mr Krishnamurthy said the BJP, having been the largest party in the Lok Sabha, was asked to lead the NDA government with Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee as the Prime Minister. Similar should be the case in Jharkhand where the BJP had 23 MLAs.

Meanwhile, according to BJP sources, Mr Babu Lal Marandi was ahead of others in the race for Chief Ministership of the state. Mr Marandi also called on the Prime Minister at his residence this evening leading to speculations that he was being considered for the post.

PATNA: Opposition leader in the Bihar Assembly Sushil Kumar Modi reiterated that the BJP was the natural claimant to the post of Chief Minister of the new Jharkhand state.

Meanwhile, a crucial meeting of the JMM is scheduled here this evening to decide its strategy for the new state.

All its 12 legislators have been summoned to attend the meeting in which the party is expected to take a decision about remaining within the NDA. The party is all set to snap its ties with the NDA and walk out of it to form a non-BJP government in Jharkhand.

Party spokesperson Prashant Kumar said the JMM was thinking of reopening new channels for a possible alliance with the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress.

Make me CM or get lost: Soren

PATNA, Nov 1 (PTI) — JMM-S supremo Shibu Soren today indicated his party snapping ties with the NDA if the latter refused his claim for the chief ministership of Jharkhand. “flouting an earlier agreement.”

“There is no point in going ahead with the NDA if it refuses to accept my claim for Chief Minister’s chair in Jharkhand,” Mr Soren said. On his arrival from Bokaro to attend a two-day crucial meeting of the JMM-S Legislature Party likely to begin tonight.

“Make me Chief Minister or get lost, enough is enough. You have offered me the post while taking support of our MLAs when the minority Nitish Kumar ministry was installed in March”, he said. “It will be better for us to sit in the opposition.” he said adding that the JMM-S having 12 MLAs would be largest group in opposition in the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly.

Bangaru meets Vajpayee

NEW DELHI, Nov 1 (UNI) — Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Bangaru Laxman met Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee this evening and discussed the leadership issue for Uttaranchal and Jharkhand where the party will be forming the governments.

Party sources said Mr Laxman also discussed the work allocation to the new office-bearers. The work allocation is likely to be announced in a day or two.

Maj-Gen B.C. Khandoori and Mr Babu Lal Marandi continued to be the fore runners for chief ministership of Uttranchal and Jharkhand respectively, the sources said.