Ranchi: All 22 legislators of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Jharkhand Wednesday submitted their resignations to demand immediate Assembly elections in the state that has been under President's rule since January 19.
The legislators handed their resignations to Governor K Shankar Narayan.
Elections had been announced in three states - Haryana, Maharashtra and Arunachal Pradesh - but not in Jharkhand, said state BJP president Raghuvar Das.
While extending President's rule, union Home Minister P Chidambaram had assured parliament that elections would be held in Jharkhand after the monsoon. But this had not happened, Das said, adding that the governor was trying to create an environment in favour of the Congress.
The strength of BJP, which had won 30 seats in the 2005, has been reduced to 21 following resignations, disqualifications and a defeat in Assembly bypoll. The MLA from the Anglo-Indian community was nominated by the then ruling BJP-led NDA alliance.
President's rule was imposed in Jharkhand on January 19 after JMM president Shibu Soren quit from the chief minister's post following his defeat in the Tamar Assembly bypoll.
The BJP wants early polls after dissolving the 82-member House, now under suspended animation. The term of the assembly expires in March next year.
IANS
First Published: Wednesday, September 09, 2009, 13:53