Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Sore Guruji Snooks UPA Allies


Leaving the Congress to mull over Hobson’s choice JMM boss Shibu Soren Monday finally quit as Chief Minister of Jharkhand while saying that his party was ready to go to polls if Soren’s party colleague MLA Champai Soren was not nominated his successor.

Soren's deputy Stephen Marandi also resigned saying the chief minister should have quit long back.

Soren’s resignation was due for the last five days since he lost a must-win Assembly by-poll from the Tamar constituency.

Meanwhile, UPA leaders are scheduled to meet in Ranchi on Tuesday to decide the course of action to be adopted by the Alliance.

Opposition parties have upped demands calling for the imposition of President's Rule and fresh elections in the state.

Soren drove to Raj Bhavan and submitted his resignation to Governor Syed Sibte Razi.

"As per democratic tradition, I have put in the papers," said Soren after coming out of ghe Governor’s residence.

Accepting Soren's resignation, Razi said he would look into the possibilities for an alternative after going through constitutional and legal norms and conventions.

Soren said JMM, of which he is the chief, would not back out from projecting party MLA Champai Soren as his successor. "We have decided Champai Soren as our (chief ministerial) candidate. Yesterday I informed the central UPA leaders...I also called a meeting inviting state UPA allies but none came...The JMM will not change its decision on its candidate," he said.
Soren said it was up to the UPA to decide on the JMM's nominee. "We are ready to go for elections, if Champai Soren's candidature is rejected."

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