New Delhi: A day afer he said he would discuss the issue of two ministerial berths for his party MPs with the UPA leadership, Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren on Tuesday met Railway Minister Lalu Prasad and held discussions.
Sources said the leaders were closetted for more than half-an-hour. However, they refused to reveal what transpired at the meeting.
The issue of two ministerial berths for the JMM MPs along with some other issues concerning the state were discussed during the meeting, sources said.
A senior JMM leader had yesterday said that "(External Affairs Minister) Pranab Mukherjee had then agreed to JMMs demand and said the ministerial portfolios will be given to the party MPs after Durga Puja. We were then seeking it earlier."
Sources said Soren was also interested in meeting UPA chief Sonia Gandhi, but could not do so as she left for her constituency Raibareli on Tuessday.
"I will definitely meet the UPA chief Sonia Gandhi and discuss the matter," Soren said here on Monday.
Soren is however learnt to have met some other senior Congress leaders.
JMM had sought two ministerial berths at the Centre in lieu of support to the UPA during the trust vote in the Lok Sabha on July 22.
After securing the Chief Ministership, Soren repeated his earlier demands for two berths including that of a cabinet minister and a Minister of State (MOS) for its MPs.
In September, Soren held a meeting with senior Congress leader and Union Minister Pranab Mukherjee on the issue, who reportedly agreeing to JMMs demand had told the party leaders that they would be included in the ministry after Durga Puja.
"Such a long time has passed. Puja is also over. Now I will talk," Soren said on Monday in an indication that the party would again raise the issue.
Besides there are sharp differences in the state UPA over occupying posts in Boards and Corporations. Soren also discussed this issue as well with the RJD chief, sources said.
While MLAs, who were not given a berth in the ministry, are reportedly mounting pressure for immediate reconstitution of boards and corporations, the RJD chief is reportedly against the idea.
