Lack of consensus among the top Bharatiya Janata Party leaders on the rotation of chief ministership formula offered by the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha has led to the delay in arriving at a solution to the political crisis in the State.
Authoritative party sources disclosed that both L.K. Advani and Sushma Swaraj are not agreeable to the 28:28 formula proposed by the JMM for power sharing in Jharkhand for the rest of the five-year tenure minus the four to five months that have already elapsed. Under that scheme, the BJP would get to head the State government for the next 28 months followed by the JMM for another 28 months.
Apparently, the JMM has agreed to let the BJP the first chance at chief ministership although the JMM has already been heading the government for the last five months. But, Chief Minister Shibu Soren would have to resign in just more than a month as he has failed to get himself elected to the Assembly, a mandatory requirement within six months of being appointed a Minister.
Five months ago after the Assembly election the BJP had agreed to let the JMM head the government for the entire five-year tenure. Those inclined to say “yes” to the JMM offer are of the view that the chance to rule the State for 28 months is good enough. In any case, in the fractured Assembly a stable five-year government may not be possible.
The BJP first announced it would immediately withdraw support from the JMM-led government. That 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. That was on April 28, the day after the vote on the cut motion.
However, by April 29 when the party received a letter from Hemant Soren, son of the Chief Minister and legislative party leader of the JMM, offering to support the BJP in leading the coalition, the withdrawal of support was “put on hold” and a dialogue was opened.
