Ranchi, Sep 7 (IANS) Three months after their coalition fell apart on the issue of chief ministership, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) joined hands with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) again and Tuesday staked its claim to form the government in Jharkhand, headed by Arjun Munda.
Governor M.O.H. Farook is likely to recommend revocation of President’s rule in the state to pave way for the formation of a new government, following the latest political tie-ups, according to reliable sources.
Governor Farook is to send a report to the union home ministry Wednesday on the political situation in the state and the BJP’s claim. He has consulted legal experts, and the signatures of legislators who extended support to the BJP were matched with the records in the assembly, the sources said.
Jharkhand is under President’s rule since June 2.
Earlier, BJP legislature party leader Arjun Munda, accompanied by state party president Raghubar Das, JMM legislature party leader Hemant Soren and All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) legislature party leader Sudesh Mahto met Farook around 1.30 p.m. and staked the claim to form the government.
Munda presented to Farook a list of 45 legislators supporting him in a house of 81.
‘We have handed over a list of 45 legislators’ support letter to the governor. Of the 45, 44 legislators were present in Raj Bhavan when we handed over the letter to the governor,’ said Arjun Munda, tipped to be the next chief minister.
The BJP elected Arjun Munda as its legislature party leader after Raghubar Das resigned from the post.
Das said: ‘I resigned as legislature party leader on the directive of national party president Nitin Gadkari. I am follwing the directive of the national president.’
After his election, Munda along with Raghubar Das went to meet JMM chief Shibu Soren at his residence in Morabadi of Ranchi. ‘I have given my blessings to Munda to form the government,’ Soren told reporters.
From Soren’s residence, the BJP, JMM, All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU), Janata Dal-United (JD-U) and two independent legislators went to Raj Bhavan to meet the governor and stake their claim to form the next government.
This is the second time that the BJP and JMM have come together to form the government in Jharkhand in less than 10 months.
Polls to the state assembly were held in November and December last year and Shibu Soren became the chief minister on Dec 30. However, Soren had to quit May 30 after the BJP withdrew support in protest against his voting in favour of the ruling Congress in April against the BJP-sponsored cut motions in parliament.
