‘Unholy’ BJP-JMM alliance will not last, says Congress

NEW DELHI - The Congress Tuesday termed as “unholy” the alliance between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) to form a government in the state and claimed that it would not last.

“It is the same combination in a new format. It is for the state governor to take a decision (on government formation),” party’s Jharkhand in-charge K. Keshava Rao told IANS.

“It is an unholy alliance which will not last,” he said.

Rao said the party was not interested in forming the government as it did not have the numbers.

The Congress leader said that stability was the main concern for the party and it did not seek support of independents or engineer mergers.

Congress leaders said privately that the governor may also look at the “propriety” of calling the same combination for government formation that had proved unstable before president’s rule was imposed in the state in June.

They said the party will benefit if the BJP-led alliance collapses. “It is unlikely to last long. It will only expose the BJP,” a senior Congress leader said.

This is the second time the BJP and JMM have come together to claim 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, heading a coalition with the BJP and the All Jharkand Students Union (AJSU).

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

A chastened JMM initially agreed to prop up the BJP but backtracked, leading to central rule.

With neighbouring Bihar set for elections in October-November, the BJP and JMM decided to join hands again.