In a controversial move, Jharkhand Governor Syed Sibtey Razi on Wednesday invited Jharkhand Mukti Morcha chief Shibu Soren to form the next government

The decision has been dubbed by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance as a 'constitutional outrage'.

Soren, who presented to the governor a list of 42 members of Legislative Assembly, compared to the 41 of the NDA, to support his claim to form the government, would be sworn in later in the day.

He would have to prove his majority in the 81-member assembly in 20 days.

Soren, who met the governor for an hour in the morning, told reporters, "We have submitted a list of 42 MLAs and have staked claim to form the government." Congress leader in Jharkhand Harikesh Bahadur accompanied him.

Earlier, five independent MLAs -- Sudesh Mahato, Chandra Prakash Chowdhary, Hari Narain Rai, Enos Ekka and Madhu Kora -- met the governor and informed him they were supporting the NDA and, hence, the alliance should be invited to form the government.

The BJP said it would parade the 41 MLAs with the NDA before the President.
 
"The governor has throttled democracy. It is the height of misuse of power," BJP general secretary Rajnath Singh said.

"We are ready to take all our 41 MLAs to Delhi and parade them before the President," he said.

Significantly, JMM rebel Stephen Marandi supported the UPA.

"We support the UPA's claims to support the government," Marandi, who fought the election as an independent after he was denied a ticket by JMM, told reporters.

Earlier Report:
Hung House in Jharkhand; advantage NDA

Complete Coverage:
The battle for three states