Jharkhand govt formation to take more time

RANCHI: UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday asked state UPA leaders to wait for a few more days to finalise the issue of government formation in Jharkhand.

Ms Gandhi told state Congress president Pradeep Kumar Balmuchu and newly elected Rajya Sabha MPs from Jharkhand Dheeraj Sahu and Hemant Soren, who called on her at her residence in Delhi on Tuesday to await the return of AICC incharge of Jharkhand affairs K. Keshava Rao, who is away.

After the 30-minute meeting, Mr Balmuchu told ET from Delhi that Mr Rao was on a trip to Brazil and would be back on June 27. "Now that we���ve got a positive signal from Ms Gandhi, efforts for government formation will gain momentum after Rao returns," he said.

Another senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel, who has key role in Jharkhand affairs, is also away from Delhi. Most state UPA leaders have already reached Delhi to make their point before the Congress high-command. These MLAs, supported by a large number of Independents, desperately want installation of a popular government in Jharkhand, which is now under President's Rule that is scheduled to end on July 19.

The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has constituted a seven-member committee of party leaders to explore the possibility of forming an alternative government. Though there is a consensus among the UPA to form the government, there is no unanimity on the name of chief minister.

While JMM wishes to lead the government on the plea that it is the largest party in the UPA fold, the Congress insists on having its own chief minister.