Ranchi: Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren Saturday said any decision regarding his resignation - following his defeat in an assembly by-poll - would be taken at a Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) party meeting.

"Any decision regarding resignation will be taken at a party meeting. After holding a meeting with the party leaders, I will again go in New Delhi," Soren told reporters here.

The crucial meeting of the central committee of JMM is being held Saturday afternoon.

Soren, whose JMM is part of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), is apparently under pressure from coalition partners Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal to resign as chief minister. He came back to Ranchi from New Delhi Saturday.

According to JMM sources, Soren may resign after holding the party meeting. The meeting will discuss the future course of action, including who will be the next chief minister.

Sources say RJD chief and central Railway Minister Lalu Prasad has categorically told Soren to quit as chief minister.

Soren lost the Tamar assembly by-election by 9,062 votes to Jharkhand Party candidate Raja Peter Thursday. He flew to New Delhi the same night to hold a meeting with UPA leaders. Besides Lalu Prasad he also met Ajay Maken, who is in charge of the Congress in Jharkhand.

Soren, who took over charge of the state in August last year, needed to win the election to remain chief minister in keeping with a constitutional obligation.

A new political twist was added to the Jharkhand drama Friday when a suspended Bharatiya Janata Party legislator, Vishnu Bhaiya, resigned from the assembly to offer Soren a chance to fight another by-election and retain his chief ministership.

 

Source : ians