Jharkhand was placed under President’s rule on Tuesday for the second time in six months after none of its largest political parties could form an alternative government following the resignation of chief minister Shibu Soren on Sunday.
President Pratibha Patil accepted the Union Cabinet’s recommendation to impose Central rule in the state and place the legislative assembly in suspended animation.
The Cabinet made the recommendation after a meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, to discuss Governor M.O.H. Farooq report suggesting President’s Rule.
The report was sent on Monday evening after three major parties—the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajantrik (JVM-P)—informed Farooq they did not have the numbers to form a government.
The state, which has rarely seen sustained political stability since its creation a decade ago, plunged into yet another crisis after Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief Soren resigned. The Soren government was reduced to a minority on May 24 when the BJP, with 18 legislators, and JD(U) with two, withdrew support to it.
The crisis was sparked when Soren voted in favour of the Congress during a cut motion in the Lok Sabha in April.
{{/usCountry}}The crisis was sparked when Soren voted in favour of the Congress during a cut motion in the Lok Sabha in April.
{{/usCountry}}The BJP had immediately announced withdrawing support. But tempted by an opportunity to head the government, the party agreed to talk again.
The JMM and the BJP agreed to run the government on a rotational basis, swapping chief ministers after 28 months.
BJP national general secretary Arjun Munda was tipped to be the next chief minister and Soren agreed to step down by May 25. But on May 24, Soren announced that he was not going to step down, prompting the BJP to withdraw support.