As the BJP struggled to solve its Jharkhand tussle with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), the Congress on Friday made a veiled threat that it might seek President’s Rule in the state if the BJP-JMM negotiations dragged on.The Congress threat came just hours ahead of a BJP meeting chaired by party president Nitin Gadkari.

But till late night there was no confirmation of any resolution on BJP-JMM power-sharing in Jharkhand.The Congress is harping on BJP’s Jharkhand discomfort. Party spokesman Shakeel Ahmed said the Congress had no stake in the power struggle in the state.

But it wanted the BJP and the JMM to sort out the issue quickly as it had led the state to a ‘standstill’ over the last several days.He said if the situation continued like this the Congress could demand ‘Constitutional powers’ to ‘exercise their rights,’ an apparent reference to the governor sending an adverse report and recommending Central rule in the state.

But the BJP said since the support to the JMM had not been withdrawn yet, the government in Ranchi functioned as normal.The BJP had threatened to withdraw support to the Shibu Soren Government after the JMM chief voted with the Congress-led Government at the Centre in the Lok Sabha on an Opposition-sponsored cutmotion on April 27.The threat was however put on hold after the JMM made conciliatory gestures, including an offer to share chief ministership of the state by rotation. But there are differences within the BJP on accepting that offer.