Thaindian News

By Nityanand Shukla
Ranchi, May 25 (IANS) As political uncertainty grips Jharkhand after the Shibu Soren-led government was reduced to a minority Monday, political experts say there are four possibilities for the formation of an alternative government.

Experts say one possibility is that of the Congress and the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik (JVM-P) joining hands.

The Congress and the JVM-P are pre-poll alliance partners but they will need the support of Soren’s Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) to stake claim to forming the government, they say.

In the 81-member assembly, the Congress has 14 legislators, JMM has 18 and the JVM-P has 11. Any coalition will need the support of at least 41 legislators to form government.

However, the JMM and the JVM-P are not ready to support governments led by each other. The only possibility that is left is that of the Congress leading the alternative government. But will the JMM and the JVM-P support a Congress-led government, ask experts.

JVM-P president and former chief minister Babulal Marandi has said that he would consider forming a government if the JMM and the Congress support his party.

Another possible combination for an alternative government is that of the Congress, the JMM, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU).

The RJD and the AJSU have five legislators each. But the big question is whether the Congress should lead the government or the JMM.

There is a possibility that the Congress and the RJD may support Soren during the trust vote, say political experts.

Even if Soren wins the trust vote, he will have to quit if he fails to become a member of the state assembly by June 30.

The third option for an alternative government in the state is that of the Congress, the JVM-P, the RJD, the AJSU and the independents coming together.

Under this equation, the Congress will have to seek support of jailed legislators who were ministers in the previous Madhu Koda government. Will Congress form a government with support of tainted legislators remains to be seen, say experts.

Sudesh Mahto, president of AJSU reacting to the political crisis in the state, said: “In Jharkhand no single party has the mandate to rule. No government can be formed without the support of three to four parties. We will support a government which can provide a stable government.”

Political experts say that the possibility of the BJP and the JMM again joining hands could not be ruled out. If JMM agrees to support a BJP-led government then the BJP, which has 18 legislators, could consider forming a government.

Even BJP leaders are not averse to joining hands with the JMM again. “In politics all options are open. A stable government is needed in Jharkhand and we cannot rule out any possibility,” a BJP leader told IANS.

Governor M.O.H. Farook has asked Soren to prove his majority on the floor of the house by May 31. Till that time, the four possibilities for a coalition government are sure to come up for discussion in all Jharkhand parties.