New Delhi: Amid lack of consensus within the party over formation of an alternative government in Jharkhand, leaders of Jharkhand Mukti Morch (JMM) accompanied by their state allies Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) and All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) met senior BJP leaders including party president Nitin Gadkari to discuss the modalities.
This was the second meeting between JMM and BJP. The two parties are believed to have agreed on a BJP Chief Minister for Jharkhand, but the decision has been postponed till Tuesday.
Also, it has been decided that Shibu Soren will continue as Chief Minister till then. The JMM leaders will, meanwhile, meet and try to convince all the MLAs to come together.
JMM leader Hemant Soren, Jharkhand Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Raghubar Das, AJSU chief Sudesh Mahato and state JD(U) leader Jaleshwar Mahato were present in the meeting.
Former BJP president Rajnath Singh, party's general secretary Anant Kumar and general secretary (organisation) Ramlal also attended the meet.
Earlier in the day, a meeting of state-level leaders of BJP, AJSU, JD(U) and JMM leaders was held in New Delhi.
Consensus appears to be eluding JMM leaders on how to resolve the political crisis in Jharkhand, with one section in the party being in favour of forming a government along with the BJP while the other being open to talks with Congress.
Giving a twist to the continuing impasse in the state earlier in the day, senior JMM leader Teklal Mahato said he was open to holding discussions with Congress over formation of an alternative government in Jharkhand, insisting that party supremo Shibu Soren should remain the Chief Minister.
"We have come to make our Dishom Guru Shibu Soren the Chief Minister," Mahato said when asked whether he has come to Delhi to hold meetings with BJP on formation of a new government.
Mahato's comment came amid speculation that some JMM leaders, who want Soren to continue as the Chief Minister, could meet Congress President Sonia Gandhi.
Haji Husain Ansari, another party leader, also said that party supremo Soren should remain the Chief Minister.
Party leader Champai Soren, whose name was last year proposed as possible chief ministerial candidate during the political crisis in Jharkhand, also maintained that "right now Guruji is the Chief Minister, we will talk to our alliance partners but we want him to be on the chair".
However, another senior JMM leader Hemlal Murmu said, "There is no possibility of going with UPA."
Shibu's son Hemant, who is playing a key role in talks between JMM and BJP for forming a new government, said, "We are going to meet our NDA friends. We will discuss the emerging political situation and an alliance government will be formed."
BJP had announced withdrawal of support to JMM-led government in Jharkhand after Shibu Soren voted against the Opposition's Cut Motion in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
However, it put its decision on hold later after Hemant wrote a letter to party chief Nitin Gadkari expressing support to a BJP-led government in the state.
(With PTI inputs)