Centre will definitely consider JMM's demand of greater J'kand:Soren

Bokaro, Jul 29 (UNI) Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) president Sibu Soren today said the UPA government at the Centre had assured to consider his demand of Greater Jharkhand.

''Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would definitely consider our demand of including a few districts of Orissa and West Bengal in Jharkhand as part of greater Jharkhand,'' Mr Soren told UNI here.

Criticising the protests in both the states against the JMM demand, Mr Soren claimed that the ''common masses were with the party.'' ''People in those areas are being exploited and therefore they are with us,'' Mr Soren said.

Referring to the party's claim in the Central Cabinet, Mr Soren said any decision in this regard would be taken after the Prime Minister's foreign tour.

Mr Soren is understood to have bargained for a berth each in the Cabinet and MoS, besides some development issues related to the state as ''return gift'' from the Centre for playing a crucial role in saving the UPA government in the trust vote on July 22.

UNI XC-AM DPM RD 1422