Ranchi: It would be the second time in two
years that Jharkhand would be brought under the central rule
after President Pratibha Patil accepts the recommendation of
the Union Cabinet.
The Union Cabinet today recommended to the President to
impose central rule in the mineral-rich state.
Jharkhand which has seen seven chief ministers since its
creation on November 15, 2000 came under President`s Rule for
the first time on January 19 last year, which was extended by
six months in July.
It was imposed when no party came forward for government
formation after JMM chief Shibu Soren, who was in his second
stint as chief minister, failed to enter the Assembly
following defeat in the Tamar bypoll.
The Assembly elections in October/November last year
threw up a fractured mandate again and Shibu Soren became the
chief minister for a third time with the support of the NDA.
Soren had to resign on May 30 after the BJP withdrew
support to his coalition government as a fallout of his voting
for the UPA in a cut motion in the Lok Sabha.
The political uncertainty in the state goes back to March
2003 when the Babulal Marandi government fell on the floor of
the Assembly.
This time, the BJP reportedly failed to reach a consensus
between its leaders -- former chief minister Arjun Munda and
his former deputy Raghuvar Das -- for the chief minister`s
post.
The political instability has seen Arjun Munda heading
two governments, Soren three and Marandi and Madhu Koda one
each.
"We tried our best to avert President`s Rule, but were
unfortunately unsuccessful in our endeavour," BJP state
general secretary Ganesh Mishra said.
BJP spokesman Sanjay Seth said the state should not be
kept under President`s Rule for long and people should be
given an opportunity to give their mandate in a mid-term poll
at the earliest.
PTI
