BJP ‘rethink’ adds to mess in Jharkhand

The BJP could be mulling an alternative government in Jharkhand with the support of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM). The possibility has cropped up after the delay of BJP ministers in resigning from the Sibu Soren Cabinet.

The BJP had four ministers — Raghubar Das, Nilkanth Singh Munda, Baidyanath Ram and Barkuwar Gagrai — in the Soren government from which it pulled the plug on Monday. None resigned till Tuesday evening.

According to insiders, Soren may quit on May 27 and support the BJP to form an alternative government. But BJP state unit president Raghubar Das is now not in favour of an understanding with JMM. At the same time, BJP general secretary Arjun Munda is favouring a fresh tie-up with Soren.

Munda’s parleys with Soren’s son Hemant and four JMM legislators have added fuel to the speculation. Munda, unconfirmed reports say, has managed the support of four JMM legislators.

BJP MP from Hazaribag Yashwant Sinha, however, said the party would not enter into the process of any government formation and would vote against the trust motion Soren would be moving.

The BJP is yet to submit to Governor M.O.H. Farook the letter containing signatures of all 18 party legislators. The party had withdrawn its support to JMM through this letter on Monday.

“This could not be done because most of our party legislators were in their respective constituencies,” said BJP state spokesperson Sanjay Kumar Seth.

However, lack of coordination is being blamed for the delay in the BJP ministers resigning. The decision of withdrawing support to JMM was taken late on Sunday. But as Baidyanath Ram told HT, the meeting of BJP legislators on Wednesday could be the decider.

More than the JMM — it began courting the Congress on Monday — the flip-flop over the past 48 hours appears to have tainted the BJP’s reputation.

The Congress, meanwhile, is keeping its options open. “Nothing can be ruled out,” said party spokesman Shakeel Ahmed.