Hemant meets Rahul Gandhi in Delhi,

Ranchi, Jan.18: Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren on Monday met former All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Rahul Gandhi in Delhi and it is expected that he may also meet AICC chief Sonia Gandhi.

The meeting however led to various speculations in political circles back in Jharkhand over the vacant cabinet berths in the state government and power sharing in government run Boards and Corporations. JMM-Congress and RJD are in alliance in the incumbent government in the state led by Hemant.

The meeting is also seen as important ahead of upcoming Bengal elections where Soren’s party—Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) will contest.

Both Congress and JMM however dubbed the meeting as a courtesy visit. Soren, along with Congress party’s Jharkhand affairs in-charge RPN Singh flew to Delhi on Sunday night. Soren is expected to return on Tuesday. A JMM leader said, “Regular interactions and meetings help in maintaining better coordination.”

A Congress source however said that the agenda of the meeting is to discuss on various aspects. “Two days back, RPN Singh, during his visit to Ranchi held meeting with all Congress MLAs, district heads and other key members on the situation of vacant posts on boards and corporations in the state which needs to be filled. This apart, the party has for long been staking claim on one more ministerial berth considering the number of MLAs we have. Our leaders are now starting to slowly discuss with JMM as the government has completed one year in office,” claimed the Congress leader.

Speaking with reporters in Ranchi on Sunday, RPN Singh however maintained that their party isn’t focusing immediately on cabinet expansion till upcoming by-election in Jharkhand is over. Madhupur seat is to go for polls this year after it got vacated following the death of JMM’s MLA and minority affairs minister Haji Hussain Ansari last year.