The jigsaw puzzle of Jharkhand’s politics came together as before when the BJP and the JMM rejoined hands on Tuesday to form a government under the BJP’s leadership three months after the two parties had bitterly parted ways and forced the Centre to impose President’s Rule in the state.
Former chief minister Arjun Munda, currently a BJP MP from Jamshedpur and a party national vice-president, staked claim to form a government by meeting governor M.O.H. Farooq at noon Tuesday. Mr Munda submitted to Mr Farooq a list of 45 MLAs willing to support his government and was accompanied by 44 MLAs — 18 each from the BJP and the JMM, and five from the AJSU. With the governor having reportedly recommended revocation of President’s Rule Tuesday evening, Mr Munda is set to be the chief minister of Jharkhand for the third time. Sources said the governor consulted legal experts and verified the signatures of the MLAs in the list submitted by Mr Munda before sending his recommendation to the Centre.
Mr Munda, a tribal leader who began his political career in the JMM, was elected leader of the BJP Legislature Party earlier on Tuesday, following which the current incumbent, state BJP president Raghubar Das, resigned from the post. Mr Das told reporters that BJP national president Nitin Gadkari had asked him over the telephone from Moscow on Monday night to get Mr Munda elected BJPLP leader by holding a meeting of party MLAs.
As per the new arrangement, former chief minister and JMM supremo Shibu Soren’s son Hemant Soren, who is the JMM Legislative Party leader, and AJSU chief Sudesh Mahto would be the two deputy chief ministers. “The JMM fully supports the formation of a new government under the BJP’s leadership with Arjun Munda as chief minister. There are no difficulties as were in the past,” said Mr Hemant Soren.
The government in the making has the blessings of Mr Shibu Soren, currently the JMM MP from Dumka. Mr Munda met Mr Shibu Soren at his residence in Ranchi before leaving for Raj Bhavan with MLAs from the BJP, JMM and the AJSU.
Sources said the choice of Mr Munda as CM has been in keeping with the JMM’s desires. During the month-long stalemate with the BJP in May, the JMM leadership had insisted that the BJP must put forward a tribal leader to head a new BJP-led government with the JMM’s support.
President’s Rule came into force in Jharkhand on June 2 and the Assembly, formed after the polls in November and December in 2009, was put in suspended animated when the BJP and the JMM failed to agree on forming a new government following the forced resignation of Mr Shibu Soren as CM due to the BJP’s displeasure at his voting against the NDA in the BJP-sponsored cut motion in Parliament.
The Congress in Jharkhand described the reunion of the BJP and the JMM as an “unholy union certain to repeat the past”.