Hours after the Union Cabinet decided to impose President's rule in Jharkhand, the Sibu Soren-led Jharkhand Mukti Morcha on Monday said all options are still open, indicating that the exercise to form a government is still on.
"None of the United Progressive Alliance constituents -- the JMM, the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal -- want President's rule in the state," JMM general secretary Suman Mahato said.
"We have already met Ahmed Patel, political secretary to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, and senior RJD leader Prem Chand Gupta. Patel has assured us that the Congress won't have any problem in supporting a consensus candidate of the UPA," she said.
"Now Laluji has come here, our leaders will also be coming. We'll sit together and take a decision," Mahato said.
JMM chief and outgoing chief minister Soren, accompanied by other UPA leaders will reach Delhi from Ranchi to hold negotiations with senior coalition leaders to work out an alternative in Jharkhand, where more than a year of the assembly tenure is yet to be completed, sources said.
Mahato is camping in the capital for the last three days reportedly at the instruction of Soren. She added: "We will again forward the name of Champai Soren for the post of chief minister."
