With the Union government on Thursday recommending President’s Rule in Jharkhand, the stage is set for a major face-off between the nation’s two biggest political parties, the BJP and the Congress. Minutes after the announcement by the Centre, Jharkhand BJP leaders upped their ante against governor Syed Ahmad, accusing him of working like a “Congress agent”. “The decision is a major setback for democracy and development of the state,” outgoing CM Arjun Munda said.

His party colleague and former deputy chief minister Raghuvar Das alleged that the Centre was misusing Article 356 of the Constitution and that the governor is dancing to the Congress party’s tunes.

The Congress and JMM strongly disagreed with the BJP’s allegation, saying that the governor had no option but to recommend President’s Rule as the state has a fractured mandate. “The Centre only followed what the Governor wrote,” said former state Congress president and MLA Sarfaraz Ahamed. JMM spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya, however, confidently claimed that an alternative government would be in place very soon.

The Arjun Munda-led coalition was reduced to minority last week after the JMM withdrew its support and began negotiating with the Congress to form an alternative government.