The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, All Jharkhand Students Union and the BJP on Saturday in Ranchi staked claim before Governor K Sankaranarayanan to form the next government in Jharkhand.
Former chief minister and BJP leader Arjun Munda said, "We have given a list of 42 legislators to the Governor staking claim to form the government."
The 42 MLAs include 18 each of JMM and BJP, five of the AJSU besides the lone MLA of Jharkhand Janadhikar Manch led by Bandhu Tirkey, Munda told reporters at Raj Bhavan.
Tirkey, however, was not present among the MLAs who met the Governor.
Asked about the two MLAs of JD(U), an ally of the BJP, Munda said the JD(U) legislature party would meet after which its decision would be conveyed to the BJP.
BJP Vice-President Karuna Shukla said her party has extended support to JMM chief Shibu Soren.
Asked whether the BJP would participate in the government or give support from outside, she said, "We have just given a letter of support to JMM chief Shibu Soren. We will decide after the Governor invites Soren to form the government."
In the fractured verdict in the assembly polls for 81 seats, Cong-JVM(P) combine secured 25 seats, followed by BJP-JD(U) alliance (20), JMM (18) and AJSU (5).
Soren, who sought time from the Governor earlier in the day, told him that he had the required majority to form the government, which would be the seventh in over nine years of the state's creation.
"We have the required number of MLAs to form the government," the JMM chief told reporters.
BJP legislature party leader Raghuvar Das and his AJSU counterpart Sudesh Mahto accompanied Soren to the Raj Bhavan where he personally handed over the list of MLAs to the Governor.
The delegation included BJP's central leaders Ananth Kumar, Karuna Shukla and senior party leader Yashwant Sinha.
Sudesh Mahto was accompanied by senior leader Chandra Prakash Choudhary. PTI
