JMM says it knows how to claim its rights

"We don't believe in the politics of bargaining, but we know how to assert our rights," said party leader and Deputy Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who was successful in winning the support of the AJSU legislature party to vote for Kumar after failing to convince the BJP to withdraw its candidate S S Ahluwalia.

He told PTI here that it would have been better had the BJP accepted the JMM's request to withdraw its candidate.

Apparently to sooth disappointed ally BJP, Soren, however, said, "It's not a victory of JMM or its candidate, it is a victory of Jharkhand."

Noting that JMM had not indulged in creating instability in coalition politics, he said "We will work for the state's development. We hope the coalition runs smoothly and it is for the BJP to take it forward in the interest of the state."

Stating that the party was capable of making sacrifices in the interest of the state, he pointed to his father Shibu Soren.

"One example is how Guruji had to quit (on May 30, 2010) from the chief minister