Ranchi, Dec 22 (IANS) Many are eyeing the chief minister’s chair in Jharkhand, including the three former chief ministers, some central ministers, presidents of parties and others as counting of votes cast in the assembly polls is held Wednesday.
The three former chief ministers in race are Babulal Marandi, Arjun Munda and Shibu Soren. Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief Shibu Soren has made public his desire to become chief minister, but the other two are making guarded statements.

Marandi is a Lok Sabha member and president of the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik (JVM-P), which fought the assembly polls in alliance with the Congress.

The Congress has two people reportedly in the race for the top post - union Food Processing Minister and Ranchi Lok Sabha member Subodh Kant Sahay and the party’s state president Pradeep Kumar Balmuchu.

Sahay was a key Congress campaigner for the polls and remained in the state during the five-phase elections held Nov 25-Dec 18.

Balmuchu went to New Delhi after the polling was over to hold discussions regarding government formation and also to lobby for the top post, a party source said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has three people reportedly in the race for the top post - Arjun Munda, Yashwant Sinha and state party president Raghubar Das.

President’s rule was imposed in the state on Jan 19 after then chief minister Shibu Soren lost the Tamar assembly by-election that he needed to win — to become member of the state assembly and to retain the high offioce he held then.