Backed by JMM, BJP set to form Jharkhand government (Intro Roundup)

RANCHI - The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Tuesday staked claim to form a government in Jharkhand with the backing of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and with Arjun Munda as the new chief minister.

Governor M.O.H. Farook is likely to recommend revocation of President’s Rule to pave the way for formation the of a new government, well informed sources said.

Farook is to send a report to the union home ministry Wednesday on the political situation in the state. 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 had been 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 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 total, 44 legislators were present in Raj Bhavan when we met the governor,” said Arjun Munda, tipped to be the 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 party president Nitin Gadkari.”

After his election, Munda and Raghubar Das met JMM chief Shibu Soren at his residence here. “I have given my blessings to Munda to form the government,” the veteran Soren told reporters.

From Soren’s residence, the BJP, JMM, AJSU, Janata Dal-United (JD-U) and two independent legislators went to Raj Bhavan.

This is the second time the BJP and JMM have come together to take power in Jharkhand in less than 10 months.

Elections to the state assembly were held in November-December last year, and Shibu Soren became the chief minister Dec 30.

However, Soren quit May 30 after the BJP withdrew its support in protest after he voted in favour of the ruling Congress praty in April against the BJP-sponsored cut motions in parliament.

A chastened JMM initially agreed to prop up the BJP but backtracked, leading to President’s Rule. With neighbouring Bihar set for elections in October-November, the BJP and JMM have decided to gang up again.