Jharkhand Mukti Morcha pulls out of Arjun Munda Government in Jharkhand

NEW DELHI: The fragile BJP-led government in Jharkhand on Monday plunged into a crisis, with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) deciding to withdraw support, threatening its survival. Though JMM’s executive committee favoured pulling out of the government after BJP refused to relent to its demand for removal of chief minister Arjun Munda, a final decision had been left to JMM chief Shibu Soren.

“We have taken the decision to withdraw support. We have empowered Guruji to take a final decision. Since BJP leads the government in the state, they must also decide what they want to do in this case,” JMM leader and deputy chief minister Hemant Soren said after the party meeting in Ranchi. He said the decision was taken after talks with BJP leaders, including its Jharkhand affairs in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan.

Shibu Soren was quoted by news agencies as saying in Ranchi that the party would hand over a letter to governor Syed Ahmed on Tuesday, conveying its decision to withdraw support to the Arjun Munda government. JMM had put some conditions before BJP, which included change in chief minister and sharing of power after 28 months. BJP and JMM have 18 members each in the 81-member state assembly.

The BJP-JMM government had the support of six AJSU and two JD (U) MLAs. BJP sources here said consultations were still on between the two parties. However, MP from the state, Nishinkant Dubey, said the split would be “good” for BJP. “JMM has supported Congress in the past. It would be better if JMM supported Congress. It would be good for BJP in the national scenario,” he told ET.