Rediff

Ranchi, Aug 25: Jharkhand Mukti Morcha chief Shibu Soren on Monday staked claim to be Jharkhand Chief Minister after incumbent Madhu Koda and Independent legislator Stephen Marandi agreed to support him at the intervention of Rashtriya Janata Dal supremo Lalu Prasad.

On the advice of Prasad, Koda and Marandi gave letters of support to Soren before the media.

Koda, who had been reiterating that he would not support Soren and would review whether to continue in the UPA or not ever since he quit on Saturday, changed his stand and agreed to support Soren to form a ministry after meeting the RJD chief.

"Laluji and Guruji (Soren) came to my residence. As per our traditional values, atithi devo bhavah (guests are like God). Moreover, after giving a second thought, I decided to support him in the interest of UPA's unity," Koda told media persons.

Asked whether he had kept open the option for joining the impending Soren ministry, Koda said such things did not figure in the meeting.

"I told during the meeting (with Lalu Prasad and Soren) to continue all the unfinished development works taken during my 23 months of tenure," Koda added.

Another Independent MLA and a staunch critic of Soren, Stephen Marandi, also handed over his letter of support to Soren.

"See, both of them (Koda and Stephen) are giving the letters of support to him (Soren)," Prasad told the media but refused to entertain any question on the Jharkhand political situation.