Shibu Soren (centre) chairs a JMM central executive committee meeting in Ranchi and (below) state UPA co-ordination committee chairperson Madhu Koda arrives from Delhi on Saturday. Pictures by Manik Bose

Ranchi, Jan. 10: Playing for time, chief minister Shibu Soren today claimed the JMM was ready to head a new government in Jharkhand and that he would resign only after he held a fresh round of discussions with senior UPA leaders in Delhi.

Arguing that there was no constitutional binding that compelled him to resign immediately after losing the Tamar by-election, Soren said: “I’ll be going to Delhi tomorrow to convey to UPA heavyweights about my party’s decision to form a new government in the state.”

Sources within JMM revealed that a consensus was evolving around Seraikela MLA Champai Soren — unrelated to the chief minister’s family but considered to be his right hand man — to head a new government, even though Shibu Soren refused to name him, saying he would do so only after talks in Delhi tomorrow.

“I held a meeting with my party’s central executive members and legislators. We will form a new government in the state. But, I will not tell you all now who will be leading the new government even though the name has been finalised,” he said.

Shibu Soren, however, admitted that given the present scenario, his exit was imminent, but he would be doing so at his own time. “I have been given a verdict by the people’s court which is the supreme authority in a democracy. But, before doing anything I need to work out viable alternatives as well,” he said earlier in the day at Birsa Munda Airport upon his return from Delhi.

Refusing to succumb to pressure tactics, Shibu Soren said: “Things will settle down in two to three days. Several other options are open. Agreed the chief minister has been defeated in Tamar, which is a very big thing, but, the day is not yet over.”

At today’s meeting of the JMM executive committee and MLAs, Shibu Soren appeared determined to ensure the chief minister’s chair remained with his family, or else the party would secure a fresh mandate.

Observers said it was his way of ensuring he had “due share” in power, whatever the new arrangement was — if, for instance, the UPA bosses in Delhi were unwilling to re-induct him to the Union cabinet, Sonia Gandhi should agree to give the Jharkhand chief minister’s chair to either his wife Rupi or one of his sons.

But none of them is an MLA. And, considering Shibu Soren’s humiliating defeat in Tamar, UPA heavyweights may not agree to risk another bypoll. Hence, the need for an alternative and Champai’s name seemed to fit.

Also, Union railway minister Lalu Prasad, who is strongly backing Madhu Koda, will be leaving for a week-long tour to Japan tomorrow, making it that much more difficult for the Congress to seal a decision on Jharkhand.

Shibu Soren is comfortable with Champai as he played an active role in ousting Madhu Koda. He was elected to the Bihar Vidhan Sabha from Seraikela in 1990 and 1995. He was defeated by the BJP’s Anant Ram Tuddu in 2000. He won the Seraikela Assembly seat again in 2005.

Koda said Soren should step down immediately. The UPA’s state co-ordination committee chairperson, who returned from Delhi in the same flight as the chief minister’s, maintained that the UPA central leadership had asked Soren to resign immediately.

“Soren was unnecessarily making a mess of affairs. He should quit because he was morally bound to do so after losing the Tamar by-election,” he said.

JVM(P) chief Babulal Marandi, who also returned from Delhi by the same flight, vowed to foil Soren’s machinations to retain the chief minister’s chair. “I will leave no stone unturned to see that neither Soren nor any of his family members succeed in their nefarious designs,” he added.

Deputy chief minister Stephen Marandi, an Independent, strongly opposed Soren’s move to find his successor. He alleged that the Independents who would be playing crucial roles in the new set-up, were being ignored. He urged Koda to immediately call a meeting to discuss the crisis.

“The JMM, RJD and Congress are holding separate meetings on their own. The Independents are not being involved. Soren should have resigned soon after the results of Tamar by-election were announced. He can’t take unilateral decisions,” Marandi said.

Several RJD and Congress leaders are also like to leave for Delhi tomorrow.

State RJD president Gautam Sagar Rana, said they would try their best to avert imposition of President’s rule in the state.