BJP legislators to decide new Jharkhand CM

Ranchi, May 11 (ANI): The new Jharkhand Chief Minister will be chosen at a meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs here on Tuesday, a decision to this effect was reached at the request made by some of the MLAs during their meeting with the party high command in New Delhi.

It is reported that the BJP legislature party will meet here today over the current political situation.

BJP leader Baidnath Ram said that they have made a request that the new Chief Minister be chosen by the state MLAs.

"We informed our national leaders about our view that the Chief Minister of Jharkhand should be chosen by the state MLAs. The central leadership has accepted our demand. Today, two observers from the national leadership will meet the state MLAs and thereafter the meeting of the legislators, the new Chief Minister will be announced," said Ram.

"You will know in some time. Whatever agreement has been reached between the two parties is right, but BJP is leading the government for sure," he added.

With various leaders taking divergent positions, the Parliamentary Board, which met with BJP President Nitin Gadkari in the chair in New Delhi on Monday, decided to send two observers, senior general secretary Ananth Kumar and the former president Rajnath Singh to Ranchi on Tuesday to assess whom the legislature party wants as Chief Minister.

After the meeting, BJP's Observer for the Jharkhand Unit, Anant Kumar, said it was decided in the meeting that BJP would lead the government in the state.

He also informed that the BJP leaders would meet in Ranchi on Tuesday to choose the new Chief Minister.

The JMM-led government in Jharkhand was reduced to a minority on April 28 after the BJP withdrew its support, as it was reportedly upset withy Soren for voting with the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government on the cut motion.

After the BJP's pullout, the ruling coalition has been reduced to 28 Members in a House of 81. (ANI)