Ranchi: Outgoing Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren said Saturday that the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) had picked a successor, and party sources identified him as his son Durga Soren.

Shibu Soren said a decision had been taken as to who would be the next chief minister of the state in the wake of his own defeat in a by-election he needed to win to hold on to the post.

The chief minister was speaking to reporters after a meeting of his party's Central Committee. He, however, declined to reveal the name of the prospective chief minister.

“Tomorrow (Sunday) I am going to Delhi to apprise the party's decision about who will be the next chief minister. The party has decided who it will be," he said.

He added: “I will not reveal (the name) here. I will inform the leaders of the UPA (United Progressive Alliance)."

According to JMM sources, Durga Soren, the chief minister's eldest son, is tipped to succeed him.

Almost all the JMM legislators barring a few agreed on Durga Soren's name. The younger Soren is not a member of the state assembly.

Asked about his resignation, Shibu Soren said: “At present I am the chief minister. I will resign after returning from New Delhi”.

Shibu Soren lost Tamar assembly by-election by 9,062 votes to Jharkhand Party candidate Raja Peter Thursday.

Soren, who took charge of the state Aug 27 last year, needed to win the election to remain chief minister to fulfill the constitutional obligation of getting elected to the house.

 

Source : IANS