Munda quits as Jharkhand CM
9 Jan 2013 7:00 AM IST
With chief minister Arjun Munda resigning, Jharkhand looks all set to move towards a brief spell of central rule. Though the outgoing cabinet met on Tuesday morning recommending dissolution of the 82-member state assembly, outgoing deputy chief minister Hemant Soren questioned the move saying, ‘When we have withdrawn support, how can a minority government take such a decision?’
The Munda government was reduced to a minority in the 82-member house after coalition partner Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) withdrew support, charging Munda of not honouring the understanding of handing over chief ministership to JMM for the remaining part of the present term.
JMM legislators, led by party president Shibu Soren, too met governor Syed Ahmed submitting a letter of withdrawal of support. Later, Hemant Soren told mediapersons that with just seven of the 12 ministers attending the Cabinet, the governor need not entertain such a recommendation as dissolution of the house. Demands for dissolution of the house have also come from other partners of the BJP including JD(U) and All Jharkhand Students Union. With former chief minister Babulal Marandi’s Jharkhand Vikas Morcha too demanding dissolution of the House, the number of legislators in support of dissolution rose to 37.
However, the opposition Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and a few independents have decided to play a wait and watch game. ‘It was unlikely that the Congress would rush to support a JMM-led government in the state though Soren’s emissary Stephen Marandi had met the Congress high command in this context,’ said a well-placed source pointing that President’s rule suited the party best.
The Munda government was reduced to a minority in the 82-member house after coalition partner Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) withdrew support, charging Munda of not honouring the understanding of handing over chief ministership to JMM for the remaining part of the present term.
JMM legislators, led by party president Shibu Soren, too met governor Syed Ahmed submitting a letter of withdrawal of support. Later, Hemant Soren told mediapersons that with just seven of the 12 ministers attending the Cabinet, the governor need not entertain such a recommendation as dissolution of the house. Demands for dissolution of the house have also come from other partners of the BJP including JD(U) and All Jharkhand Students Union. With former chief minister Babulal Marandi’s Jharkhand Vikas Morcha too demanding dissolution of the House, the number of legislators in support of dissolution rose to 37.
However, the opposition Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and a few independents have decided to play a wait and watch game. ‘It was unlikely that the Congress would rush to support a JMM-led government in the state though Soren’s emissary Stephen Marandi had met the Congress high command in this context,’ said a well-placed source pointing that President’s rule suited the party best.
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