NEW DELHI: Jharkhand appears headed for yet another bout of Presidents rule. A day after JMM chief Shibu Soren withdrew support plunging the Madhu Koda led government into a minority, the ball was in governor Syed Sibte Razis court, with neither side seemingly in a position to muster up the numbers to form an alternative government.

The major stakeholders in the state, the Congress, RJD and the LJP are of the opinion that the state was inexorably headed for presidents rule. However publicly the Congress party reiterated its position that it was supporting Soren. "We are with Shibu Soren and will support a government led by provided he musters up the numbers," said party spokesperson Manish Tewari.

In private both the Congress as well as the RJD and the LJP did not appear too worried either about the prospect of a spell of presidents rule or the JMM leaders threat to withdraw support from the UPA government at the Centre. In fact, the considered view amongst the allies is that the JMM chief is unlikely to make good his threat to withdraw support. "He does not stand to gain in any manner. Even if he withdraws support it will not make a difference as we have the requisite numbers, besides we have not gone back on any promises," says a senior UPA leader.

The UPA is also confident that Soren will not withdraw support to the central government and go with the BJP because most of his MLAs and MPs have been elected after defeating the BJP. "If he wanted to go with the BJP he could have gone soon after the elections because the two put together have the numbers to form the government, but since most of his people have been elected after defeating the BJP, they will not support him," says a UPA leader.

Privately, senior Congress are not unduly worried about the developments in Jharkhand. The Congress has been trying to distance itself from the Koda-led government and believes if the state goes to polls after presidents rule it will not have to face the anti-incumbency syndrome.
Source : DNA