Thaindian News

New Delhi, April 29 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will meet Jharkhand Governor M.O.H. Farook Thursday evening to inform him of its decision to withdraw support to the Shibu Soren government in the state, senior leader Gopinath Munde said here.
“The party MLAs (legislators) and ministers will meet the governor at 5 p.m. to convey their decision to withdraw support to the government,” Munde told reporters here, ending speculation that the party may be doing a rethink on the issue.

The development came even as Soren wrote a letter to BJP president Nitin Gadkari urging him to “forget” his action of voting with the ruling United Progressive Alliance during the cut motions in the Lok Sabha Tuesday.

Soren said he was not aware of the technicalities of the voting process. He also added his dream of a separate state of Jharkhand was realised in 2000 during the term of BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government.

Munde indicated that the BJP was not averse to considering a viable alternative after withdrawing support.

“If there is a possibility of forming a good government, the party will consider it,” he said.

Munde said no party was in a position to form government on its own in Jharkhand and any alternative will also be a coalition.

Answering queries, Munde said he was not aware of any talks between Soren’s son Hemant and Gadkari.

He also indicated that the party would not make any immediate demand for imposition of president’s rule in the state.

Asked about the reasons for the party deferring its decision to meet the governor from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Munde said one of the ministers was away from Ranchi and the party wanted all its legislators and ministers to go together to meet the governor.

Party sources said that the meeting with governor was rescheduled due to discussions in the BJP on fresh offers from the JMM.

Hemant Soren told reporters Wednesday night that the BJP has been requested to review its decision. He said the BJP could form the government.

Party insiders said they wanted Soren to resign as chief minister first and formally hand over a letter offering support to a BJP government.

The Soren government will be reduced to a minority if the BJP backs out. In the 82-member Jharkhand assembly, the JMM and the BJP have 18 members each, All Jharkhand Students Union five, the Janata Dal-United has two, the Congress 14, the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik (JVP-M) of former chief minister Babulal Marandi has 11 and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) five. The others are mainly independents.

The Congress said Wednesday it was watching the situation in Jharkhand and would not make a decision in a hurry.