Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda quits, wants dissolution of state assembly

RANCHI/NEW DELHI: Jharkhand chief minister Arjun Munda has resigned and recommended dissolution of the state assembly, putting rival Congress in an advantageous position and spelling another round of uncertainty in the state gripped by frequent political crises.


Munda, who headed the BJP-led government, recommended dissolution of the state assembly on Tuesday morning, before JMM leaders met governor Syed Ahmed to inform him about their decision to withdraw support to the government, reducing it to a minority.

The development gave the upper hand in the state to the opposition Congress, which will get to decide whether to impose President’s rule or to form an alternate government in the state with the support of non-BJP parties.

Though Congress has never formed a government in the state since it was carved out of Bihar in 2000, a section of the party finds the idea of joining hands with RJD and the wife of the former chief minister, Madhu Koda, who is in jail over corruption charges, fraught with political risks. Imposition of President’s rule, on the other hand, will allow Congress to remote-control the affairs of the state from Delhi.

With the Centre laying premium on implementation of central schemes to swell its electoral kitty in the next Lok Sabha polls, a friendly arrangement in Jharkhand can come in handy. “We will take a considered call,” said the party leader, who did not wish to be named. Munda said that fresh election was the only way to break the stalemate. “There was no option but to recommend the dissolution of the assembly.



We decided on this course to prevent horse-trading,” Munda said in Ranchi. BJP insisted that President’s rule was the only option before the Centre. “The only way out of the political crisis in the state is to dissolve the assembly and conduct fresh elections. The last election had thrown up a fractured verdict, which led to political instability. Despite that, we tried to make efforts for the state’s development under the leadership of Arjun Munda,” BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said in Delhi. BJP leaders said 38 MLAs in the 81-member Jharkhand assembly favoured dissolution.

These included BJP’s 18 MLAs, former chief minister Babulal Marandi’s 11, AJSU’s six, JD(U)’s two and the CPI-ML’s lone representative. The crisis comes at a time when another BJP-led government, in Karnataka, is on the verge of a collapse. BS Yeddyurappa, who had revolted against BJP and set up his political outfit, is set to announce his course of action after January 14.