RANCHI, May 24 (IANS): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today withdrew support to the Shibu Soren-led government, reducing it to a minority and plunging Jharkhand into another round of political uncertainty.
The BJP has a strength of 18 in the 81-member assembly and the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) also has 18 members. The All Jharkhand Students' Union (AJSU) has five members and the Janata Dal-United two.
"The JMM's changing stand has pushed the State into political uncertainty and the party has decided to withdraw support," Jharkhand BJP president and Deputy Chief Minister Raghubar Das told IANS before going to meet Governor MOH Farook.
Jharkhand has been facing a political crisis since April 27 when Soren voted against the BJP's cut motions in the Lok Sabha. This led the BJP, a junior partner in the Jharkhand coalition, to announce withdrawal of support to the JMM April 28. Two days later, BJP put its withdrawal decision on hold.
On May 8, JMM announced that it would support the BJP. Ten days later, on May 18, the BJP agreed to a rotation of power with Soren.
Two days later, however, a defiant Soren refused to quit and announced that talks were on with both the BJP and the Congress for the formation of an alternative government in Jharkhand.
