Ranchi:
Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda has submitted his resignation to Governor Syed Ahmad hours after an emergency Cabinet meeting recommended dissolution of the Assembly. The vertiginous situation arrived in the state after Shibu Soren's Jharkhand Mukti Morcha or the JMM withdrew support from the BJP-led government.
"Both - decision for state Assembly and resignation - have been handed over to the Governor. The state Assembly discussed this and the state wants a stable government, the state Assembly also thinks that for the new orders they should go to the public directly. Secondly, for a stable government this is the only alternative," said Mr Munda.
"We didn't have the numbers in Jharkhand, therefore we have chosen to quit the office rather than doing manipulative majority in the Assembly," said BJP leader Balbir Punj in New Delhi.
Mr Soren said they will try and form a new government in the state. None of the JMM's five ministers were present in the Cabinet meeting earlier.
The main point of dispute is over who should be chief minister. The JMM alleges that a pact entitles it to the post this week, half-way through the government's term. But Mr Munda has reportedly denied that this agreement exists.
"The Bhartiya Janata Party is ruling the coalition, and it's their responsibility also that how they handle this," said Hemant Soren, JMM leader and Deputy Chief Minister of Jharkhand.
The BJP and Mr Soren's JMM have 18 members each in the 81-member state Assembly. Without the support of the JMM, the government, led by the BJP's Arjun Munda, is in a minority.
Mr Soren's party is also reportedly upset with senior BJP leader and Member of Parliament from the state Nishikant Dubey for speaking out against JMM leaders repeatedly.
Congress leader Pradeep Balmuchu today hinted at possible alliance with the JMM. "Our stand was very clear that after withdrawal from BJP, definitely we will start the dialogue to form the government. I think now the time has come, we are hoping that some proposal may come from JMM,"said Mr Balmuchu. The Congress has 13 state legislators.
All eyes are now be on the Jharkhand Governor, whether he decides to dissolve the Assembly or whether he waits for another combine to stitch up a alliance, in a state that has already seen eight governments in the last 12 years.
(With inputs from agencies)