Confident Soren to meet Sonia today

New Delhi | Ranchi, August 20 : An upbeat JMM chief Shibu Soren arrived here on Wednesday to tell Congress president Sonia Gandhi that he had mustered the support of Independent MLAs and just needs the “final push” from the top to secure the chief minister’s chair in Jharkhand.

Apart from his claim on Independents, Soren also flaunted the support of two suspended BJP MLAs — Manohar Tekriwal and Vishnu Bhayya — to claim that he had more than the required numbers. These two MLAs along with another Independent minister, Bandhu Tirkey, accompanied Soren to the Capital.

“The Independents are ready to support me. Congress and other UPA leaders too are ready to back me. I will meet the Congress president and other UPA leaders here,” said Soren, on his arrival in New Delhi.

Party sources said Soren was likely to meet the Congress president on Thursday. The JMM chief will also seek a meeting with RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav to secure the support of his seven MLAs. Lalu’s support is crucial as it is widely believed that he is against Soren’s candidature for the CM’s post.

“The Congress will back Soren like a rock. We will make efforts to make him the Chief Minister,” said AICC secretary Abdul Manan in Ranchi today. A disturbed Madhu Koda urged that a UPA meeting be called to clear the air.

JMM leaders said they would urge Sonia to direct Chief Minister Koda to step down before any trust vote. “Guruji will stake claim in a couple of days. A trust vote may not take place at all, and maybe I will be in a position to declare the good news tomorrow itself,” said JMM MP Hemlal Murmu.

Unlike the past, the JMM is going all out to woo the Independents this time. “Why should the Independents not support us? None of them want early elections and, most importantly, we are ready to give them due recognition,” said Murmu.