Jharkhand Congress in dilemma over alternative government in state

Congress, JMM had been trying to assemble the magic figure of 42 MLAs at their fold to establish majority in the house

The state Congress in Jharkhand is in the midst of dilemma over formation of another coalition government in Jharkhand with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) to make an end of the President's rule imposed in the state on January 18 following withdrawal of support by the JMM, one of the partners in the NDA government led by Arjun Munda.

Soon after imposition of the President's in the state, the state Congress leaders had been planning to form alternative government with the JMM. In order to raise the majority in the 82-memer assembly, both Congress and JMM had been trying to assemble the magic figure of 42 MLAs at their fold to establish the majority in the house.

The state Congress president and Rajya Sabha member Pradeep Kumar Balmuchu and former Union minister and Ranchi MP Subodh Kant Sahay had made several trips to Delhi to get green signal from the Congress high command for formation of an alternative government with the JMM.

However, the Congress high command has kept mum over formation of alternative government in Jharkhand.

It has now clear in the state political circles that the state Congress leaders had been negotiating with the JMM supremo Shibu Soren to form an alternative government when dispute started between JMM and former chief minister Arjun Munda over powering sharing formula allegedly made before the swearing of Arjun Munda as chief minister on September 11, 2010.

Finally, after submission of resignation by Arjun Munda from the post of chief minister recommending dissolution of the Assembly, hectic activities were on by the JMM and Congress to form alternative government with the support of other allies of Arjun Muda's coalition government.

Meanwhile, Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) formed by the first chief minister of the state, Babulal Marandi which has eleven MLAs and former deputy chief minister in the Arjun Munda led government, Sudesh Mahto led All Jharkhand Students' Union (Ajsu) which has six MLAs demanded dissolution of the assembly to hold fresh elections in the state.