Ranchi: Deepening the political crisis in the state, Jharkhand’s ruling coalition partner JMM submitted its letter to Governor Syed Ahmed on Tuesday formally withdrawing support to the 28-month-old Arjun Munda government pushing it to a minority.
The JMM action came even as the Jharkhand Cabinet decided to recommend dissolution of the state assembly to prevent any “horse trading-like situation”.
Soren was accompanied by his father JMM supremo Shibu Soren and other party leaders to the Raj Bhavan.
He said Munda cabinet’s decision to dissolve the house ‘does not stand’ as JMM had on Monday itself announced its decision to pull out its support to the BJP-led government over the accord on rotational leadership of the coalition and had faxed a letter to the Raj Bhavan even before the cabinet met.
However, Munda said, “Such letters are not faxed. One should physically submit it to the governor.”
He has taken appointment with the governor to submit the cabinet’s decision on the dissolution of the house. Earlier in the day Raj Bhavan sources confirmed that JMM had submitted its letter of withdrawal of support to the Arjun Munda-led BJP government.
Munda said the government has sought time from the governor at 11.30 AM to convey the cabinet decision to recommend dissolution of the house. The decision was taken in a cabinet meeting in the morning to prevent any ‘horse trading-like situation’, he said. No JMM member was present at the meeting. The decision, he said, was taken as no national party had openly come forward to provide an alternative government in the wake of the JMM’s announcement to pull out of the government.
The BJP, JMM, AJSU and JD(U) had formed the government on September 11, 2010, but ties between BJP and JMM came under strain recently over the rotational leadership issue.
While JMM had insisted that there was a power sharing formula in which the two parties would rule for 28 months each, BJP had bluntly rejected it leading to the JMM’s decision to withdraw support.
In the 82-member state assembly, BJP and JMM have 18 members each and the Munda government also enjoys the support of six members of All Jharkhand Students’ Union, two of JD (U), two independents and one nominated member who has voting right in a trial of strength.
Opposition Congress has a total 13, Jharkhand Vikas Morcha(P)11 and RJD 5 members in the assembly. CPI-ML(L), Marxist Coordination Party, Jharkhand Party(Ekka), Jharkhand Janadhikar Manch and Jai Bharat Samta Party have one member each besides the support of an independent. (PTI)
