The Congress indicated on Friday that it might seek President's Rule in Jharkhand if the "standstill" over government formation continued there without any solution.
"For last seven or eight days, there is a situation of standstill in Jharkhand. This should come to an end. The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha should give a government there as soon as possible. Otherwise Congress may demand the use of Constitutional powers in the other way," Party spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed said.
He, however, evaded a direct reply on whether the party would seek imposition of President's Rule in the state.
All India Congress Committee general secretary Digvijay Singh said the developments in Jharkhand "exposed BJP's lust for power".
"The BJP has made the state a place for minting money by exploiting the natural resources there and the entire problem is due to that," Singh said.
The responses of Congress leaders came in the wake of uncertainty prevailing in the state over formation of an alternative government after the BJP had mulled over withdrawing support to Chief Minister Shibu Soren's government after he voted in favour of the United Progressive Alliance in the cut motion in Parliament.
Though BJP and JMM announced reaching an agreement to form an alternative government led by a BJP chief minister, conflicting views have emerged from the JMM over the issue.
Keeping their pressure on, four of the 18 JMM members of the legislative assembly on Friday demanded continuation of party president Shibu Soren as Jharkhand chief minister for first 28 months before handing over the baton to the BJP, claiming replacing him will send a wrong signal to the tribals.
The Congress spokesperson said his party was worried, as people have to suffer there due to political uncertainty.
Asked whether the Congress will make any initiative towards government formation, Ahmed indicated that the party was not quite enthused to the idea because it did not have sufficient numbers.
"As far as political initiative from our side is concerned, we are sitting at a place for which we got the mandate... the onus is on them, who formed a government and claimed of having a majority," he said.
He added, "What is happening in Jharkhand is a matter of concern. The state is on a standstill for last seven-eight days."
Ahmed also took a dig at the BJP for its "change of stand" on the issue, saying the opposition party formed a government with the same Soren, whom they used to describe as "corrupt".
"They withdrew support to the JMM led government, agreed to support the JMM again. There are also talks of rotating chief ministership.
However, the Congress is not concerned with all this, as it is their internal matter. But our party is worried about the people of the state," he said.
