Patna, Jan. 8: Shibu Soren’s defeat has once again brought Madhu Koda into reckoning for the Jharkhand chief minister’s post, at least political reverberations here prove so.

The RJD and Congress would go all out to see Koda stage a comeback as the chief minister, if sources close to the powerful UPA player and railway minister, Lalu Prasad, are to be believed.

“Guruji’s defeat is unfortunate. But the UPA is as strong in Jharkhand as ever. There is no question of power going to the communal BJP or imposition of President’s rule. The UPA will get a chief minister to carry on with the secular government in Jharkhand,” Lalu Prasad said.

Against the popular perception that Guruji’s defeat has dealt a body blow to the UPA in Jharkhand, the RJD and Congress are not too worried at Soren’s debacle. In fact, Lalu Prasad never wanted Guruji to replace his Man Friday, Koda, as Jharkhand chief minister.

The reasons: Lalu Prasad had played “pivotal role” installing Koda-led UPA rule by showing Arjun Munda-led BJP government the door. The RJD chief, whose party has eight MLAs in the Jharkhand Assembly, was said to have been ruling the state by “proxy” with “obedient” Koda in the saddle. Lalu Prasad demonstrated his love for Koda by referring him frequently as “Jharkhand ka ghoda (horse)”.

And the Congress — heavily dependent on Lalu Prasad’s strength and political acumen in the region — too was more “comfortable” with Koda at the helm, as he was always ready to “surrender” to the UPA rather than “powerful” Soren.

Sources close to Lalu Prasad revealed that the UPA strategists — who have summoned both Koda and Soren to Delhi — would go all out to convince the fallen Dishum Guru to vacate the seat for “proven” Koda and accept “respectable accommodation” in the UPA fold. But Lalu Prasad and other UPA strategists are believed to be still afraid of the move of Soren who would like to have his “own” person as chief minister rather than the one pliable more to the wishes of Lalu Prasad and Congress.