Patna: After registering a resounding victory in the Jharkhand polls, JMM working president Hemant Soren along with alliance partners met Governor Draupadi Murmu and staked claim to form next government in Jharkhand.
Soren will take oath as Chief Minister in Ranchi’s Morabadi ground on December 29.
Talking to reporters after meeting the Governor, Soren said, “I have staked claim along with 50 MLAs and have requested the Governor to allow us to form government in Jharkhand.”
When asked about the strength of Cabinet, he said, “The discussions with all alliance partners are going on and we hope to finalise the issue at the earliest.”
JMM insiders told this newspaper that Soren will be visiting New Delhi on Wednesday where he is likely to meet AICC chief Sonia Gandhi, and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi before taking oath.
He is also expected to meet RJD chief Lalu Prasad who is serving a jail term in connection with fodder scam cases and being treated for serious ailments at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Ranchi.
The three-party alliance comprising JMM, Congress and RJD has won 47 of the 81 seats in the state. The JMM with 30 seats is the single largest party, while the Congress won 16 and RJD one seat.
The BJP clinched 25 seats, the AJSU two, JVM-P three and others four seats.
Sources said that the Congress is eyeing some key ministerial berths.
Talking to reporters, Congress state president, Rameshwar Oraon, said, “There won’t be any trouble in the formation of the new government. The agenda of our government will be to work for the people of Jharkhand.”
Meanwhile, JVM-P chief Babulal Marandi has also extended his party’s support to the JMM-led alliance.
Party insiders said that Marandi is expecting at least one ministerial berth in the Cabinet.
“The JMM-led alliance has the majority to form the government but we have also decided to extend unconditional support to Hemant Soren,” Marandi, said.
