Congress non-committal on forming govt with JMM in Jharkhand

Ranchi: Congress remained non-committal on forming government with Jharkhand Mukti Morcha in the eastern state, with newly appointed state PCC chief Sukhdeo Bhagat today saying the party would strengthen itself in the run up to the Assembly elections.  "The JMM is a political party and has its priorities and thinking which I can’t control. They are free (to have their own priorities and thoughts)," Bhagat told reporters. He was replying to a query on Congress’s interest in forming government as JMM had repeatedly said it was upto Congress to initiate government formation after the Shibu Soren-led party withdrew support to the BJP-led government on 8 January. “We have apprised the party high command of the political situation in Jharkhand and will abide by whatever directive comes,” Bhagat said. The PCC chief said he had given a three-month ‘home work’to the district chiefs to strengthen the party, spread the central government’s flag-ship programmes. “We have only 13 MLAs. My priority is to strengthen the party,” Bhagat said. Asked whether Congress was preparing for polls and not ready to form government in this term, Bhagat said every party was readying itself for polls. Even if a government was formed, the parties would prepare for election as it was due next year, he said. PTI