Soren stakes claim; Guv asks to prove majority by Sep One

Ranchi, Aug 25 (UNI) Jharkhand Governor Syed Sibtey Razi tonight asked Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) president Shibu Soren, who staked claim to form a government, to prove majority by September one, thereby ending more than a week-long political uncertainty in the state.

Raj Bhavan sources said the Governor after perusing the list of 42 Legislators, furnished by Mr Soren this afternoon while staking claim, decided to invite him to form a government.

However, the date of oath taking was yet to be fixed.

Submitting the list of 42 MLAs to the Governor at Raj Bhavan here, enough to prove majority in the House of 82, including a seat left vacant following the assassination of Ramesh Singh Munda (JD-U) last month, Mr Soren asserted that the ''members were united''.

RJD chief and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad said outgoing Chief Minister Madhu Koda's name had been seriously endorsed by the UPA central leadership in Delhi on August 22 to take the post of state UPA steering committee chairman, a post being held by Mr Soren.

Mr Soren accompanied by Mr Prasad, Union Minister of State for Food Processing Subodh Kant Sahay, senior RJD leader Jayprakash Narayan and Mr Koda, called on the Governor at 1600 hrs.

This ended the more than weeklong political drama that began with the withdrawal of support by the JMM to the Madhu Koda-led UPA government on August 17 that finally forced the Chief Minister to resign two days back.

Eds: Pls pick up suitably from earlier series.

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