JMM decides to withdraw support to Arjun Munda government, to meet Governor tomorrow

RANCHI: In the backdrop of conflicting claims about an accord on rotational leadership of the coalition, JMM today decided to withdraw support to the Arjun Munda-led BJP government in Jharkhand, pushing it to a minority and threatening its survival.

JMM leader and Deputy Chief Minister Hemant Soren said the decision was "unanimous" and was taken after talking to several BJP leaders, including its Jharkhand affairs in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan.

"After a series of meetings, JMM has decided to withdraw support to the (BJP-led) government," Soren told the media here after the party's executive committee meeting.

JMM chief Shibu Soren said the party would hand over tomorrow a letter conveying to Governor Syed Ahmed its decision to withdraw support to Munda government.

In the 82-member state assembly, BJP and JMM have 18 members each and the Mund government enjoys the support of six members of All Jharkhand Students' Union, two of JD (U), two independents and one nominated member who has voting right in trial of strength.

Earlier, Munda met JMM chief Shibu Soren and discussed the political situation in the state.

JMM has put before BJP 'over phone' certain issues, including the "ruling by rotation". The 28-month limit for ruling by BJP, according to the tribal, party ends on January 10.

Relations between BJP and JMM have come under strain since Chief Minister Arjun Munda, in a written reply to a letter from JMM on January 3, rejected that there was an agreement between the two parties on "rotation of power" after 28 months in office.

JMM, however, insisted there had been an agreement to share power. Hemant Soren had in a letter to Munda on December 25 asked him to clarify BJP's stand on the issue.

Hemant Soren said "if BJP considers them (the issues) positively, then the JMM can even consider its withdrawl of support."

He said the issues are; "a senior BJP MP from Santhal Pargana has been giving baseless statements against the JMM leadership, which is intolerable. There is no coordination in the alliance."

"BJP should change its leadership (of Chief Minister Arjun Munda) and come on one platform with the JMM to announce the agreement of power-sharing for 28 months each," he said.