Ranchi, Sep 9 (IANS) All 22 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators in Jharkhand Wednesday resigned from the assembly and demanded lifting of the president’s rule and early elections in the state.
The BJP legislators accompanied by state party president Raghubar Das, Lok Sabha members, former chief minister Arjun Munda and former central minister Yashwant Sinha met Speaker Aalamgir Aalam and submitted their resignations.

They earlier met Governor K. Sankaranarayanan at the state secretariat and handed over their resignations. The BJP leaders also submitted a memorandum to the governor, seeking dissolution of the assembly and early elections.

Their move brings down the strength of the 82-member assembly to 43.

“The Congress is setting up a wrong precedent by not holding elections in the state. Why are elections not taking place in Jharkhand along with Haryana, Maharashtra and Arunanchal Pradesh where polls will be held Oct 13?” Raghubar Das asked while talking to reporters.

“The Congress lost its ground in the Lok Sabha elections (in the state) and is trying to regain the lost ground by using the office of the governor. The governor is also playing his role like a Congress agent,” alleged Das.

BJP Lok Sabha member Arjun Munda added: “In parliament, Home Minister P. Chidamabaram sought extension of president’s rule with an assurance to hold elections in Jharkhand after monsoons. Why has the assembly not been dissolved when no political formation came forward to form a government in the state?”

In reply, Congress spokesperson Rabindra Singh asked: “What is the problem if elections take place after two months? Why did the BJP legislators not resign when president’s rule was imposed?”

Jharkhand is under president’s rule since Jan 19 after then chief minister Shibu Soren lost a crucial assembly by-poll and quit the post.

Parliament in July extended president’s rule till Jan 19 next year. The assembly elections are due in March next year.