Munda resigns as CM, Sonia to decide on next incumbent

Ranchi, Sep 14: The nine-day political drama in Jharkhand ended today when Chief Minister Arjun Munda resigned without facing a trial of strength in the state Assembly, after his government was reduced to a minority following the withdrawal of support by four of his Ministers on September five.

The Opposition UPA immediately swung into action authorising Congress President Sonia Gandhi to decide on the Chief Ministerial candidate for an alternative government.

Mr Munda's decision came shortly after Speaker Inder Singh Namdhari reserved his ruling on the disqualification of three rebel legislators and allowed them to vote on the motion of trust in the NDA Government on the floor of the state assembly.

As the extended monsoon session began at 1100 hrs to take up the floor test for Mr Munda, the Chief Minister, after a speech in which he spoke about some of the developmental projects initiated by his government as also on coalition politics, announced his decision to resign.

The Munda-led NDA government enjoyed the support of 39 members after the resignations of the four ministers.

Earlier in the morning, the Speaker reserved his verdict on three Legislators - Mr Enos Ekka, Mr Kamlesh Singh and Mr Stephen Marandi - facing disqualification charges, and allowed them to vote in the trust motion.

Senior office-bearers in the UPA told UNI here that Ms Gandhi had been authorised to take the final decision on the matter.

The Opposition UPA in the state embarked on hectic parleys to decide the Chief Ministerial candidate immediately after Mr Munda resigned without facing the floor test.

Coal Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) supremo Sibu Soren told reporters here that the name of the Chief Ministerial candidate would be announced after a meeting of the UPA partners. The meeting began after the brief extended monsoon session of the Assembly was adjourned sine die. Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, Union Food Processing Industry Minister Subodh Kant Sahay, Ms Noor Banu (Cong), in-charge of Jharkhand, Rajya Sabha member from the state Mabel Rebello and other senior leaders were present at the deliberations.

After the meeting Mr Lalu Prasad (RJD) said the UPA chairperson would decide on the Chief Ministerial candidate though ''our blessings'' were with Mr Madhu Koda, one of the four rebel Ministers, who won from Jagannathpur seat as an Independent.

Mr Prasad said Ms Gandhi was expected to give decision by this evening and then the UPA would go to the Governor, staking claim to form the next government.

It was irony of sorts as Mr Munda resigned when his NDA government was reduced to a minority following resignation by four MLAs with whose support he had formed the government 18 months ago.

Mr Sibu Soren, the then Chief Minister for ten days, had to bow out under the similar condition in a number game after a Supreme Court intervention.

Earlier, after accepting the resignation, Governor Syed Sibtey Razi asked the Chief Minister to continue till the alternative government was installed.

The extended session was supposed to take up floor test for Mr Munda but as it began at 1100 hrs, Speaker Inder Singh Namdhari asked the Chief Minister to speak.

Mr Munda spoke just for about five minutes and without facing the trial of strength he announced his resignation.

The rebel Ministers joined the Opposition UPA, taking its tally to 43 in the 82-member House.

Mr Munda said he lost in the number game and expressed happiness that the NDA was united.

It did not matter whether he sat in the Opposition or in the Treasury, but the NDA would deliver goods as responsible representative of the people, he said.

The NDA now comprised BJP (30), JD-U (6), including the Speaker, AJSU (2) and nominated (1).

The UPA consisted of JMM (17), Cong (9), RJD (7), UGDP (2), Forward Bloc (2), including the expelled MLA from the party, CPI-ML (1), Independent (1) and four rebel Ministers from the NDA.

UNI