Soon after imposition of President’s rule in Jharkhand on Friday, putting the state under Central rule and keeping the state assembly in suspended animation, hectic political activities have begun in the state capital among the Congress, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Rashtrya Janata Dal (RJD) and a few Independent MLAs aiming for an alternate government.
On the other hand, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), All India Jharkhand Students’ Union (Ajsu), Janata Dal (United) and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) have been demanding early assembly elections in order to resist horse trading during formation of alternate government, if takes place.
Before proclamation of President’s rule, the state governor Syed Ahmed had sent a preliminary report and later a final report on the political situation that cropped up in the state soon after withdrawal of support of the 18 MLA’s of the JMM from the Arjun Munda government. The letter of withdrawal was formally handed over to the governor by the JMM supremo Shibu Soren on January 8.. In consequence, chief minister Arjun Munda had tendered his resignation an hour after JMM withdrew its support to the government.
The governor in his report to the Union home ministry had said that no party or alliance came forward to him to form an alternate government in the state after resignation of chief minister Arjun Munda The governor recommended for imposition of President’s rule, keeping the state assembly in suspended animation.
The Union cabinet on last Thursday approved the recommendation of the governor and sent it to the President for his assent. The notification on proclamation of President’s rule in Jharkhand came from the Centre to Raj Bhavan late night on Friday. The state had experienced President’s rule twice in 2010 and 2011..
Meanwhile, the Centre has appointed former Union home secretary Madhukar Gupta and former director general of police (DGP) of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) K Vijay Kumar as advisers to governor Sayed Ahmed. Both have taken over their assignments on Sunday.
Meanwhile, before reaching the proclamation of the notification of the President’s rule in Jharkhand on Friday night, the state BJP leaders staged demonstration in front of the Raj Bhavan under the leadership of the state president Dineshanand Goswami, demanding immediate dissolution of the state assembly. Similar demonstrations were held in various parts of the districts participated by the BJP MPs and MLAs on Friday.
It may be mentioned that since the day of withdrawal of support by the JMM from the state government led by Arjun Munda, the Congress and the JMM leaders had started negotiation for forming an alternate government in the state establishing a magic figure of 42 MLAs in the 82-member state assembly, keeping in mind to contest in the Lok Sabha elections of 2014 with the support of the JMM to ensure a face saving number of MPs from Jharkhand as the party (Congress) miserably failed in getting this number.
In 2009 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress had won only one seat from Jharkhand against 14 MPs.On the otherhand, a section of Congress leaders in the state capital expressed their apprehension that it might be a risk proposition if the Congress made alliance with the JMM in formation of an alternate government in the state with the support of the tainted independents MLAs like Hari Narayan Rai and Enos Ekka who are now in jail for over three years on corruption charges.
