The clouds of uncertainty on the political horizon of Jharkhand seem to have cleared for now, after the ruling political parties in the state decided to hand over the reigns to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to lead the government in the state for the next four-and-half years. This will be the eighth government in the state in nine years.

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The BJP will announce its candidate on Monday after its Parliamentary Board meeting. Among the front-runners are former union minister Yashwant Sinha, former CM of Jharkhand Arjun Munda and deputy CM Raghubar Das.

The decision taken jointly by the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and the BJP had ended the 10-day long political crisis in the state after JMM chief Shibu Soren, who is also a Lok Sabha MP, voted in favour of UPA government in the cut motion brought by the BJP. This led to BJP withdrawing its support to Soren government in the state. Amidst speculation of going with Congress as its new ally and the fear of a possible President's Rule in the state, the JMM had tried hard to bargain with the BJP.

It is learnt that Shibu's son Hemant had given BJP two options - one to let Soren senior continue till June 30 and give him a graceful exit and, two, to have a CM from BJP and a deputy CM from JMM. The BJP seems agreeable to the second one. Though the party has not said anything clearly, sources in the BJP said that they are not averse to the idea of having a deputy CM post going to JMM. "After all there has been a trend of having even two deputy CMs in the past," said a BJP leader.

Shibu Soren, who has not completed six months in this office, and remains unelected from any of the state seats, is expected to continue as a member of the Lok Sabha.

The deadlock ended after a meeting between BJP president Nitin Gadkari, JMM leader Hemant Soren and the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) chief Sudesh Mahato on Saturday in Delhi.

It was also attended by senior BJP leader Ananth Kumar, Jharkhand deputy chief minister Raghubar Das, JMM legislature party leader Hemant Soren and AJSU President Sudesh Mahato. "All the three coalition partners - BJP, JMM and AJSU -- have unanimously decided to form the new BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in Jharkhand. The JMM is giving us unconditional support. We want to save the state from Congress misrule. A stable government which stands for development will be formed.

The Jharkhand CM will be from BJP and the new cabinet will be based on the seat strength of coalition parties in the state assembly. "It has been decided to prepare a common minimum programme (CMP) which will be an action plan for the government," said Ananth Kumar.

"Our state has been in crisis for the last nine years. We have decided to form the new government and the new chief minister will be decided by the BJP. We want a stable and strong government. We will support them," Hemant said.