Ranchi, July 15 (IANS) Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram’s statement that he would ask the Election Commission to hold elections in Jharkhand soon after the monsoon has been welcomed by his Congress party and other members of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), though independent legislators are not so happy.
The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), a key partner of the UPA here, has welcomed the announcement.

“We are not surprised by the announcement. We wanted a government in the state after the UPA won both Rajya Sabha seats in the byelection last month. The Rajya Sabha election had indicated that the UPA had a majority,” senior JMM leader Mahtura Prasad Mahto told IANS.

He added: “The JMM had given up after getting a cold shoulder from the central UPA leadership. The JMM is preparing for elections.”

Jharkhand Congress leaders say they will go with what New Delhi tells them.

“Chidambaram’s announcement is a clear indication that we should start preparing for elections. Congress is in a win-win situation both ways. Either a government is formed or elections will take place in the state,” said a Congress leader who did not want to be named.

The term of the Jharkhand assembly expires in March next year.

But ten legislators belonging to smaller parties or independents supporting the UPA are unhappy with Chidambaram’s statement. These legislators were making desperate attempts to ensure formation of an alternative government in the state.

Many of these legislators had also travelled to New Delhi and met central Congress leaders like Ahmed Patel and Jharkhand in-charge of Congress Kesav Rao.

“The Congress is playing dirty politics in the state. It was the Congress which ensured that president’s rule was imposed in the state,” said an independent legislator.

President’s rule was imposed in Jharkhand Jan 19 after Shibu Soren quit as chief minister Jan 12.

Soren quit after he lost the Tamar assembly byelection which he needed to win to remain as the chief minister.

The Lok Sabha Tuesday extended president’s rule in Jharkhand by six months even as Chidambaram told the house that elections to the state assembly may be held by the end of September.

“It is my intention to ask the Election Commission to hold elections in the state as early as possible. It is possible by September end. We will hold elections soon after the monsoon,” Chidambaram said in the Lok Sabha.