The Congress party has welcomed the decision of Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda to tender his resignation following Speaker Inder Singh Namdhari's decision to allow three independent legislators to vote in case confidence motion was moved by the chief minister.

Speaking to rediff.com on phone from Ranchi, Begum Noor Bano, Congress leader entrusted with the task of looking after affairs of Jharkhand, said that the hard work has finally paid off. Another senior Congress leader said that Munda should have gone long ago instead of tendering his resignation in the House.

According to the sources, the scene is likely shift to Delhi [Images] in the next couple of days before the new government takes over office. "We would hold a meeting of the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) constitutents in Ranchi and hold deliberations about the formation of the new government," the source said.

Lalu Prasad Yadav [Images], president of the Rashtriya Janata Dal and Shibu Soren, chief of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, would play key roles in the election of new chief minister.

Though Lalu claimed that Guruji, as Soren is known in the state, has given his blessings to Madhu Koda and there would be no difficulty in his selection as the next chief minister, the supporters of Guruji have not yet given up and want Shibu Soren to lead the next government.

The government formation scene is likely to shift to Delhi on Saturday where they would hold talks with Congress president Sonia Gandhi [Images]. "We are not participating in the new government, but would support it from outside," Begum Noor Bano told rediff.com before she left for Jharkhand.