No compromise on chief minister's post: Soren

No combination on Friday appeared to be in a position to stake claim to form a government in Jharkhand, a day after elections produced a hung Assembly, though 'king maker' and JMM chief Shibu Soren made it clear he wants to be chief minister.

However, he added a twist saying he was talking to leaders of rival camps. The major players--Congress-JVM(P) alliance, which bagged 25 seats in a House of 81, and BJP-JD(U) combine that got 20 seats--apparently were working on a strategy to woo Soren, whose party with 18 seats holds the key.

65-year-old Soren, a two-time former chief minister himself told reporters in Bokaro, "I will settle for nothing less. There is no compromise on the chief minister's post. The JMM is the single-largest party and I should be given the chance to form the government."

Referring to alliances which have got seats in the assembly, he said, "We are talking to people and will decide our course of action. I am speaking to leaders on both sides."

The Congress appeared to be circumspect in the wake of Soren's assertion that he would want to head the government. Union Minister Subodh Kant Sahay said, "We are not in a hurry now. We expect Shibu Soren to be with the secular combination. We will take care of his contribution to Jharkhand." He said the Congress-JVM(P) combine should be allowed to form a stable government.

Congress sources in Delhi indicated that the party's option of leading the government appeared to be shrinking. Sources said Congress is considering various formulations on the issue including supporting Soren for chief ministership without its participation in the government.

Those advocating this formulation say chief of Jharkhand Vikas Morcha, Congress' poll ally, Babulal Marandi should be inducted into union cabinet while Soren should be allowed to run the government in the state with Congress supporting it from outside.

However, there is another view in the party that Congress should keep off from the entire exercise of government formation if it does not succeed in having its own chief minister. "If the Congress has to play a long innings in Jharkhand, it should keep off from Soren like it is doing in the case of RJD chief Lalu Prasad in Bihar," a senior party leader said on condition of anonymity.

Yet another view in Congress is to propose the name of Babulal Marandi for chief ministership and offer deputy chief ministership to Soren's son Hemant.

RJD, which has five seats, has made it clear that it would support any anti-BJP formation in the state.

"Any anti-BJP dispensation will get our support," RJD's Jharkhand unit general secretary Manohar Yadav said. BJP, which has limited options in choosing allies, has said it would adopt a 'wait and watch' attitude.