BJP's Arjun Munda sworn in as Jharkhand CM for the third time

Ranchi/New Delhi, Sep 11 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Arjun Munda took oath as Jharkhand Chief Minister on Saturday for the third time, heading a BJP- Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) - All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) coalition.

JMM chief Shibu Soren's son Hemant Soren and AJSU leader Sudesh Mahato took oath as Deputy Chief Ministers.

No chief minister has ever completed a term since the State was carved out of Bihar on November 15, 2000.

Jharkhand Governor MOH Farooq, who had invited Munda to form a government, administered the oath office to him at around 11 a.m.

Forty-two-year-old Munda has been asked to prove his majority in the assembly within a week.

As per a fresh arrangement, the BJP has also decided to keep the Speaker's post for itself.

Earlier on Thursday, the Union Cabinet had approved the revocation of President's Rule in Jharkhand.

The decision came after the BJP staked its claim to form a government in Jharkhand with the support of the JMM and the AJSU.

Governor Farooq sent his report to the Centre on Tuesday, recommending revocation of Central rule in the state, hours after BJP legislative party leader Arjun Munda submitted a list of 45 legislators, four more than the number required to form a government in the 81-member assembly.

The JMM-BJP coalition government plunged into a political crisis after the BJP withdrew its support to the government in the wake of Shibu Soren voting in favour of the UPA during the cut motion in parliament on April 27.

The BJP first announced it would immediately withdraw support from the JMM-led Government, which would have brought it down and effectively led to the imposition of President's Rule or attempts by the Congress to form an alternative government.

However, by April 29 when the party received a letter from Hemant Soren, offering to support the BJP in leading the coalition, the withdrawal of support was 'put on hold' and a dialogue was opened.

The JMM backtracked and demanded rotational power sharing with each party leading the government for 28 months.

This was agreed to by BJP on the understanding that Soren will quit as Chief Minister by May 25 after which Munda will head the new coalition government.

The JMM and the BJP have 18 MLAs each and the Soren Government has the support of two Janata Dal (United) legislators and five from the AJSU, besides two others in the 82-member Assembly.

The Congress has 14 MLAs, Jharkhand Vikas Manch (JVM) has 11 MLAs and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has five MLAs. (ANI)