The Opposition leaders are demanding that Soren step down and Assembly elections be held across the state afresh, not two years later as scheduled. “We will be happy if the Assembly polls are even held simultaneously with the general election,” BJP chief whip C P Singh said. There is talk of another option: of installing a government under some other leader. “A decision will be taken by the UPA leadership soon,” said Congress spokesperson Shailendra Sinha.

Soren already has enough trouble on his plate. Two Independent MLAs Harnarayan Rai and Enos Ekka, who were dismissed by Soren following charges of corruption, have been threatening to expose his “ill-gotten wealth”. Incidentally, the Jharkhand Party, whose candidate defeated Soren, was floated by Rai and Ekka.

The NDA feels it’s in a win-win situation. Even if the Soren government doesn’t resign now or is removed, the BJP feels ill-will towards it will only grow.

However, RJD state unit president Gautam Ragar Rana was right in warning not to count out “Guruji”. “We have our own compulsions to back Guruji, who is down but not out. Since he remains a force to reckon with and his party has strength of five MPs and 17 MLAs, we have to take him into confidence before taking any decision on the course of action,” he said.