New Delhi, Dec 24 (IANS) With 25 seats, the Congress said Thursday its alliance with the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatanrik (JVM-P) had emerged with the largest numbers in the Jharkhand assembly poll and it would strive to form a stable government, possibly with the support of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) with which the party was in touch.
“Ours is the biggest pre-poll alliance. We will work towards forming a secular government in the state,” Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmed told IANS.

He said a new government could be formed with the support of the JMM.

Asked if the party had contacted the JMM, he said: “The local leadership of the Congress is in touch with the party.”

The JMM, which won 18 seats in the assembly, said Wednesday it would support the party or alliance that favoured its leader Shibu Soren as the chief minister.

While the Congress-JVM-P alliance won 25 seats in the 81-member assembly, the Bharatiya Janata Party-Janata Dal-United alliance won 20 seats in the five-phase poll.

The Congress Wednesday sought to send a conciliatory message to Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Lalu Prasad Wednesday by stating his party was still part of the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) at the centre. The Congress had earlier spurned feelers from Lalu Prasad for an alliance in the Jharkhand elections. The RJD has won five seats in the assembly polls.

The Congress is expected to take its time to decide the contours of government formation in view of the split verdict and rival claimants for the chief minister’s post. JVM-P leader Babu Lal Marandi is also an aspirant.

K. Keshav Rao, the Congress official in charge of Jharkhand affauirs, said Wednesday the party would insist on zero-tolerance to corruption by any future government.