Cong ready to support Soren as Jharkhand CM

NEW DELHI: With JMM chief Shibu Soren staking claim for Chief Ministership of Jharkhand, Congress on Tuesday expressed its readiness to back him.

"Congress will support him (Soren) if he forms the government," AICC in-charge of Jharkhand Ajay Maken told when asked to comment on the JMM chief's demand that Chief Minister Madhu Koda should step down to pave way for him.

Maken, who is also Union Minister of State for Urban Development, refused to speak further on the issue.

Koda, an independent, is heading the government with the support of JMM, Congress, RJD and seven independents.

In the 81-member House, JMM has 17 MLAs, Congress has nine, RJD seven.

Earlier in the day, Soren said Koda should quit at the earliest, failing which the JMM will withdraw support to his coalition government.

"The decision regarding making me Jharkhand CM was taken long back but it is getting delayed. Hence, we arrived at the decision to withdraw support for Koda government if he does not resign now," said Soren after a meeting of leaders from Jharkhand at his residence here.

Soren denied that the independent ministers in the state had reservations on his becoming the CM. "There is no objection from any quarter".

Congress sources said while the party would be with Soren, the JMM leader himself will have to make efforts take the independents along. One of them is Koda, who appears reluctant to give up the chair.