Ranchi: Quashing speculation that his son would take over the state's reins, outgoing Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren said Saturday night that no member of his family would succeed him.

Soren, who is to step down after losing a crucial assembly by-poll, told reporters: "No member from my family would be the next chief minister. The next chief minister will be a legislator from our party (Jharkhand Mukti Morcha)."

According to party sources, two names doing the rounds to succeed Soren are legislator Champai Soren and Agriculture Minister Nalin Soren.

Earlier, after Shibu Soren announced that his party had picked a successor, speculation was rife that it would be his son Durga Soren. However, the JMM chief has quashed the rumours.

Soren said he will be going to Delhi Sunday to meet the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) leaders to inform them about the choice of chief minister.

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

Soren, who assumed office 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