Shibu Soren to take oath Dec 30

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief Shibu Soren will be sworn in as Chief Minister Dec 30 at the Marabadi grounds here.

Soren met Governor K. Sankarnarayanan Sunday afternoon and expressed his desire to take the oath Dec 30 and the governor accepted his request.

"Now Soren will be chief minister and I appeal to the people to remain awake," Soren told reporters after the meeting.

Earlier, the governor asked President Pratibha Patil to revoke President's rule in the state to allow a new government to be formed, Raj Bhavan sources said Sunday.

The governor sent a report to the president on the political situation in Jharkhand after the Nov 25-Dec 18 assembly elections, a source in the governor's house told IANS.

Soren Saturday staked claim to forming the government with a list of 45 legislators supporting him in the 81-member house.

He is being supported by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU), Janata Dal-United (JD-U) and two independents.
The BJP and JMM have 18 legislators each.

Jharkhand came under President's Rule Jan 19 after no party came forward to form the

government following Soren's resignation following his defeat in the bypoll to the Tamar assembly seat. Soren, who took over as chief minister Aug 27, 2008, had to get elected to the state assembly within six months in accordance with the constitutional provisions.