Jharkhand Governor sends report to Chidambaram

The Home Ministry received a report on Monday from Jharkhand Governor M O H Farooq on the current political situation in the state and the Union Cabinet may meet on Tuesday to take a call on it. Farooq sent the report to Home Minister P Chidambaram after consultations with political parties in the wake of resignation of Chief Minister Shibu Soren, official sources said. However, the content of the Governor's report was not known immediately. Earlier, Chidambaram has said the Governor was holding consultations with political parties to find out whether they were in a position to form an alternative government after Soren quit on Sunday night, having failed to cobble up the numbers ahead of a trust vote.

The Congress said on Sunday that it was not going to form any alternative government in the state as it does not have the sufficient numbers. "We have decided that we will not seek to form a government in Jharkhand. The reason is that we don't have sufficient numbers and we do not want to get into this atmosphere of horse-trading," All India Congress Committee general secretary incharge of Jharkhand K Keshav Rao told media-persons in New Delhi.

Rao said his party wanted a "stable

and honest" government in the state and did not find itself in a position to form a government right now. However, he parried questions on whether the state is headed for President's Rule, saying it is for the Governor to decide. Rao also refused to answer a query whether the party is in favour of keeping the state Assembly under suspended animation. To a question on whether Congress has had consultations with Jharkhand Mukti Morcha over Jharkhand issue, he said, "they had talked to us. But we have decided that we will abstain from forming government."

Party sources, meanwhile, maintained that till elections for Rajya Sabha from the state are held next week, a brief spell of suspended animation of Assembly under President's Rule could well serve the purpose. Meanwhile, Home Minister P Chidambaram met Congress President Sonia Gandhi against the backdrop of the political uncertainty in the state which appears headed for another round of President's Rule. Congress spokesperson Jayanti Natarajan had earlier said, "We have been waiting and watching. Congress has never been in a hurry. We are interested in doing what is best for the people there. We are waiting for the report of the Governor. The situation is fluid there."