The government on Thursday decided to recommend to President Pranab Mukherjee to impose central rule in Jharkhand, where chief minister Arjun Munda has resigned after his government was reduced to a minority.
The union cabinet, at a meeting chaired by prime minister Manmohan Singh, discussed the report of Jharkhand Governor Syed Ahmed who has favoured imposition of President’s rule while keeping the 82-member state assembly in suspended animation.
The cabinet decided to accept the governor’s recommendation and refer the matter to the President for necessary action, a minister, who attended the meeting, said.
The governor’s recommendation was made in his second report to the Centre on the political situation in the wake of Munda’s resignation. The chief minister had sought dissolution of the assembly after ally Jharkhand Mukti Morcha withdrew support to his government.
Jharkhand, which was created in 2000, has been placed under President’s rule twice.
The present political instablity erupted on 8 January when BJP’s ruling coalition partner JMM, in a letter to the governor, formally withdrew its support to the 28-month-old government pushing it into a minority.
In the assembly, BJP and JMM have 18 members each. The Munda government had 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 of 13 members, Jharkhand Vikas Morcha(P)11 and RJD 5 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 an independent.
ELECTED GOVT IS BETTER THAN PREZ RULE: JMM
Disappointed at the Union Cabinet recommending President’s rule in Jharkhand, the JMM on Thursday said that it was not an alternative to an elected government, while the Congress said that it would abide by the decision of the central leadership.
‘The JMM has made all efforts to form a government. We even sought more time from Governor Syed Ahmed. The state Congress leaders are also in favour of forming of government, but it did not happen,’ JMM leader and former deputy chief minister Hemant Soren said.
‘Presidents rule is one of the alternatives in democracy, but elected government is a better alternative,’ he said.
‘The house has a fractured mandate. The JMM (18 MLAs) does not have the numbers to form a government on its own. But it is not impossible to form a government if the Congress takes the initiative,’ he said.
JPCC general secretary and spokesman Sailesh Sinha, on the other hand, said, ‘The Centre took a decision as per the governor’s recommendation. The governor had sent his report only after talking to different political parties, and no party had staked claim to form the government.
‘Congress leaders and MLAs in the state are in favour of formation of a government. But we will accept whatever decision the high command takes in the interest of Jharkhand,’ he added.
BJP MEN TO COURT ARREST
The BJP on Thursday its members would court arrest on Friday in Jharkhand against the Union cabinet’s recommendation of President’s Rule in the state keeping the assembly in suspended animation.
‘The party has called a jail bharo andolan in every district tomorrow in protest against the Centre ignoring the cabinet decision to dissolve the house in favour of a fresh mandate,’ BJPs state unit President Dineshanand Goswami said.
‘The Arjun Munda government had recommended dissolution of the house, but the Congress-led government at the Centre wants the assembly to be kept in suspended animation under Presidents rule to rule the state indirectly,’ Goswami said at a dharna near Raj Bhavan.
Ajsu party president and former deputy chief minister Sudesh Mahto said,‘The decision is contrary to the peoples desire for an elected government. Keeping the assembly in suspended animation under Presidents rule is no alternative.’
He said since no party had the mandate to form a government the Assembly should have been dissolved to allow a fresh mandate.
Mahto was one of the seven ministers present on January 8 when the erstwhile Arjun Munda government recommended dissolution of house to governor Syed Ahmed to pave the way for fresh elections.
The union cabinet, at a meeting chaired by prime minister Manmohan Singh, discussed the report of Jharkhand Governor Syed Ahmed who has favoured imposition of President’s rule while keeping the 82-member state assembly in suspended animation.
The cabinet decided to accept the governor’s recommendation and refer the matter to the President for necessary action, a minister, who attended the meeting, said.
The governor’s recommendation was made in his second report to the Centre on the political situation in the wake of Munda’s resignation. The chief minister had sought dissolution of the assembly after ally Jharkhand Mukti Morcha withdrew support to his government.
Jharkhand, which was created in 2000, has been placed under President’s rule twice.
The present political instablity erupted on 8 January when BJP’s ruling coalition partner JMM, in a letter to the governor, formally withdrew its support to the 28-month-old government pushing it into a minority.
In the assembly, BJP and JMM have 18 members each. The Munda government had 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 of 13 members, Jharkhand Vikas Morcha(P)11 and RJD 5 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 an independent.
ELECTED GOVT IS BETTER THAN PREZ RULE: JMM
Disappointed at the Union Cabinet recommending President’s rule in Jharkhand, the JMM on Thursday said that it was not an alternative to an elected government, while the Congress said that it would abide by the decision of the central leadership.
‘The JMM has made all efforts to form a government. We even sought more time from Governor Syed Ahmed. The state Congress leaders are also in favour of forming of government, but it did not happen,’ JMM leader and former deputy chief minister Hemant Soren said.
‘Presidents rule is one of the alternatives in democracy, but elected government is a better alternative,’ he said.
‘The house has a fractured mandate. The JMM (18 MLAs) does not have the numbers to form a government on its own. But it is not impossible to form a government if the Congress takes the initiative,’ he said.
JPCC general secretary and spokesman Sailesh Sinha, on the other hand, said, ‘The Centre took a decision as per the governor’s recommendation. The governor had sent his report only after talking to different political parties, and no party had staked claim to form the government.
‘Congress leaders and MLAs in the state are in favour of formation of a government. But we will accept whatever decision the high command takes in the interest of Jharkhand,’ he added.
BJP MEN TO COURT ARREST
The BJP on Thursday its members would court arrest on Friday in Jharkhand against the Union cabinet’s recommendation of President’s Rule in the state keeping the assembly in suspended animation.
‘The party has called a jail bharo andolan in every district tomorrow in protest against the Centre ignoring the cabinet decision to dissolve the house in favour of a fresh mandate,’ BJPs state unit President Dineshanand Goswami said.
‘The Arjun Munda government had recommended dissolution of the house, but the Congress-led government at the Centre wants the assembly to be kept in suspended animation under Presidents rule to rule the state indirectly,’ Goswami said at a dharna near Raj Bhavan.
Ajsu party president and former deputy chief minister Sudesh Mahto said,‘The decision is contrary to the peoples desire for an elected government. Keeping the assembly in suspended animation under Presidents rule is no alternative.’
He said since no party had the mandate to form a government the Assembly should have been dissolved to allow a fresh mandate.
Mahto was one of the seven ministers present on January 8 when the erstwhile Arjun Munda government recommended dissolution of house to governor Syed Ahmed to pave the way for fresh elections.