J'khand Guv meets Pranab; meet fuels rumour of polls in state
New Delhi, Feb 05: Jharkhand Governor Syed Sibte Razi on Thursday met External Affairs and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Home Minister P Chidambaram amid signs of impending fresh assembly elections in Jharkhand.
"Yes, we talked on Jharkhand issue. We had come here to discuss our budget with Finance Minister Mukherjee. The budge was discussed," Razi told reporters after an hour-slong meeting with Mukherjee, which was later also joined in by Chidamabaram.
He was answering to a question whether Jharkhand issue came up for discussion in the meeting.
On whether elections will be held in Jharkhand along with Lok Sabha polls, the Governor said," I can't say any such thing. All this comes under the purview of the Election Commission."
The Governor or the Central government has no special role into it, he added.
The meeting assumes significance in wake of the recent pronouncements of a key UPA leader in Jharkhand politics, Lalu Prasad, who after meeting the Congress chief Sonia Gandhi a few days back, said existing signs in the state point to only one solution -- fresh elections after the dissolution of the assembly.
Former Chief Minister Shibu Soren also said his party JMM is ready for the polls.
The state was placed under President Rule in January after Shibu Soren resigned from the CM's post on January 12 days after his defeat in the by-poll. The assembly was, however, kept under suspended animation in hope of formation of any alternative government in future.
Later Shibu Soren's three choices for his successor were turned down by the alliance partners and there is no consensus on next head of the state till date.
Razi, however, parried a question on whether any alternative government can be formed in the state in the back drop of no consensus among political parties for a candidate to head such a formation.
"Ask this question to those who make governments," Razi quipped.
To a question whether he has any plans to meet the Home Minister separately, Razi said, "We have sought time from him as well."
Being Governor of a state, where there is Central rule has to meet the Home Minister, he argued refraining from spelling out the issues, which he plans to discuss with the Home Minister.
"These things are not told", he said. He was answering to a question on whether he is meeting the Home Minister on any special issue.
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