Shibu Soren was one step close to fructify his agenda of becoming Chief Minister of Jharkand again after Governor Syed Sibtey Razi invited the JMM supremo to form the government on Monday.

Soren(64) would decide the date when he would like to be sworn in as chief minister for the second time but Raj Bhavan sources said he has been asked by the Governor to seek a trust vote on or before September 1.

The Governor's invite came hours after the leader of the 17-member JMM armed with crucial support of four Independents including outgoing chief minister Madhu Koda staked claim to form the government after cobbling a majority which also had the backing of the Congress and the RJD.

Soren will become chief minister for the second time during the term of the existing Assembly. After assuming office in March 2005, the tribal leader had to resign within nine days after failing to muster a majority in the house.

Soren met Razi and submitted a list of 42 legislators supporting him after obtaining letters of support from reluctant Independent MLAs Madhu Koda and Stephen Marandi, the outgoing deputy chief minister.

Soren staked claim in the presence of union minister and Congress leader Subodh Kant Sahai, Koda and Marandi among others at the Raj Bhavan.

“I have submitted a signed list of 42 MLAs," Soren said before being asked to form the government.

Koda supports

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 deva bhava (guests are like God). Moreover, after giving a second thought, I decided to support him in the interest of UPA's unity," Koda said.

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.

JMM's student's wing head, Hemant Soren said that the list comprised legislators from JMM (17), Congress (nine), RJD (seven), United Goan Democratic Party (two), Jharkhand Party (one), Nationalist Congress Party (one), Forward Bloc (one) and four independent MLAs - Madhu Koda, Stephen Marandi, Harinarai Rai and Bhanu Pratap Sahi.