Shibu Soren demands Greater Jharkhand with 3 districts each from Orissa and West Bengal

JMM supremo Shibu Soren emerged as the top bargainer ahead of UPA government's trust vote. Soren has five MPs in Lok Sabha. In return of his support to the government, he has already received assurance of a cabinet berth and one MoS berth. He will be given the charge of his favourite Coal Ministry. If that was not enough, Soren demanded the creation of a Greater Jharkhand with three districts each from Orissa and West Bengal.

While Soren demanded the inclusion of Sundargarh, Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar to Greater Jharkhand, his party MP from Orissa, Sudam Marandi went a step further by demanding the inclusion of Sambalpur district too. The JMM want Midnapore, Purulia and Bankuda districts from West Bengal. It would be interesting to see if the Congress-led UPA government would sacrifice the interest of Orissa and Oriya people to stay in power.