(Rptng, correcting date in para one)

Ranchi, Sep 8 (UNI) With the Arjun Munda government bracing up for the floor test on September 14, JMM supremo Sibu Soren today claimed that the opposition UPA has 45 MLAs in the 82-member Jharkhand Assembly.

However, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi is expected to take a final decision on the chief ministerial candidate within a day or two, he said.

Asserting that there was no race for the chief minister as Mr Madhu Koda's name was doing the round, Mr Soren, Union Coal Minister, said the UPA was all set to form the alternative government.

He also hinted that more parleys were required to zero in on the new leader.

Talking to reporters here before leaving for New Delhi, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader did not say clearly if he was a contender for the post, adding no decision had been taken and there were many finer points that remained to be addressed before reaching unanimity.

The leadership issue in the UPA in Jharkhand had kept the central leadership on toes as heavyweights-- Mr Lalu Prasad (RJD) and Mr Soren (JMM)-- were trying to make their respective presence felt in the alternative government.

Political pundits here felt that with the duo engaged in constant battle for supremacy in Bihar and Jharkhand politics, the ball was tactfully left to the UPA chairperson's court.

With no strong and acceptable contender from both RJD and JMM emerging so far, Mr Koda (IND), who among the four resigned from the Munda cabinet on September five, might walk away with the crown.

The BJP-led NDA was reduced to minority after four ministers-- Madhu Koda, Anos Ekka, Kamlesh Singh and Harinarayan Rai resigned from the government.

Yesterday the cabinet decided to seek vote of confidence on September 15 after Governor Syed Shibtey Razi asked Mr Munda to prove majority on or before the said date.

UNI PRS KK MSJ VC1735