The ongoing political drama in Jharkhand finally seemed to be drawing to a close on Friday as chief minister Madhu Koda, appeared to have accepted the inevitability of his exit and make way for JMM chief Shibu Soren to take over the reins of power in the state.
Koda met Congress president Sonia Gandhi this evening but refused to divulge what transpired in the meeting, saying he would reveal his stand on Saturday. Earlier in the day, he had asserted that he would consider stepping down as chief minister if the UPA chairperson asked him to do so. That Koda?s days were numbered was clear when the JMM withdrew support to his government last week, leaving the UPA leadership little option but to get involved.
Soren?s ascension though has continued to remain an open game given that he is barely over the halfway mark even with the support of the Congress, RJD and other independent MLAs.
In fact, it was this thin division that was sought to be pointed to him and dissuade him from withdrawing support to Koda, with the contention that it would ultimately lead to imposition of President’s rule and subsequent assembly elections in the state.
Soren however refused to succumb to the UPA manourvres, contending that it was the RJD that was posing hurdles before his elevation as chief minister. He put the onus on the UPA leadership to prop him as chief minister, in return for his party’s critical support in the trust vote of July 22. Over the last two days, the Congress leadership held discussions with RJD leader Lalu Prasad, eventually convincing him to put his flock of seven MLAs behind the JMM leader in Jharkhand.
Earlier, Koda expressed hope that he will be able to prove his majority on the floor of the house on August 25. “The date already fixed for the floor test. However we have come here to resolve the issue through talks,” Koda said.