Chief Minister-in-waiting Hemant Soren is reported to have managed the required numbers and is ready to stake claim by Monday evening or Tuesday for the Government formation in Jharkhand.
The JMM got a written letter of support from the RJD on Sunday and also received green light from some belligerent Independents, including Geeta Koda. The party requires backing of 42 MlAs in the House of 82.
The magic figure was arrived after Hemant and his close confidents ran from post to pillar on Sunday and tried everything in the kitty to arrange votes of stubborn Independents. The hard bargaining involved Einos Ekka and Geeta Koda, wife of jailed MP Madhu Koda, who in return sought ‘handsome’ adjustments in the new formation coming up in Jharkhand.
“Everything has been stabilised now. Most likely the stake would be claimed by tomorrow evening or Tuesday morning. The plan is that the oath taking would take place on July 10,” said a close confident of developments taking place in the JMM, the party given an uphill task by the Congress to arrange for the numbers minus Independents in the Cabinet with 12 berths.
The task proved a tough nut to crack for Hemant with Congress’ clear no on Independents. While four —Bandhu Tirkey, Chamra linda, Bidesh Singh and Hari Narayan Rai — have already extended their support, Einos Ekka and Geeta Koda remained diffident.
later, Hemant’s meeting with Madhu Koda in jail and talks with Ekka sealed the fate finally.“They had some conditions, but more than that some maan samman (due respect) was involved. It happens in politics. Geeta had some previous grudge against Hemant that has been sorted out,” said a party legislator. While bargaining for support, the JMM was towing the Congress line and ‘offered’ anything to Independents, but a ministerial berth. Claims for lucrative Boards and Corp orations remained on the platter. Hemant’s persistence for all supporting MlAs walking in the Raj Bhawan along with him was also a glitch.
“It has been made very clear to Hemant that no Independent would be included in Cabinet. We can even roll back (the support), but not permit this. Congress does not want a Government just for the sake of it,” a top party functionary of JPCC confided to The Pioneer.
With this, it has become clear that the Cabinet would accommodate five members each from the JMM and the Congress, while two may figure from the RJD. Moral of the JMM’s ‘crown prince’ also got a boost when the RJD tendered a letter of support to Shibu Soren in the morning.