Sonia has asked UPA allies to decide Jharkhand CM: Congress

The Congress on Thursday said its president Sonia Gandhi had asked United Progressive Alliance allies in Jharkhand to decide on government formation and the chief ministerial candidate.

"Our president Sonia Gandhi has extended full support to local UPA leaders to decide the chief ministerial candidate and formation of the new government," All India Congress Committee leader and party's Jharkhand affairs in-charge, Noor Bano, told PTI on phone.

Asked whether the Congress would support a new coalition government from outside or join it, she said, "That will also be discussed at the local level."

Giving similar views, Union Minister Subodh Kant Sahai said Sonia had extended full support to any non-National Democratic Alliance government in Jharkhand, amidst reports that the UPA allies might stake claim to form the new government by Thursday night.

Earlier, Union Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha chief Shibu Soren had told newsmen that Sonia would decide on the chief ministerial candidate after the fall of the Arjun Munda government. 

Asked whether any consensus on the chief ministerial candidate had emerged, Bano said the issue would be decided in the UPA meeting which was on.

Meanwhile, the Governor's Principal Secretary Amit Khare denied any time had been set for swearing-in of the new government.

As per the convention, the Raj Bhavan intimates any decision in this regard only after someone stakes a claim to form a ministry.