With the Union Cabinet recommending the revocation of President's rule in Jharkhand, Governor M.O.H. Farooq has invited BJP's Arjun Munda to form a government.
Mr. Munda, along with Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) Legislature Party leader Hemant Soren and All Jharkhand Students Union president Sudesh Mahto, met the Governor at the Raj Bhavan on Thursday.
Mr. Munda told journalists, “The Governor called us informally and wanted to know when we would take the oath of office. I suggested September 11.”
Mr. Munda, 42, who is taking the reins of the State for the third time, will seek a vote of confidence in the Assembly on September 14.
When the State was carved out of Bihar in November 2000, BJP leader Babulal Marandi became the first Chief Minister. But he was ousted in March 2003, and Mr. Munda assumed power. After the Assembly elections in March 2005, JMM chief Shibu Soren became the Chief Minister — and he was in office for nine days. Having had to grapple with disgruntled allies, he quit, paving the way for Mr. Munda to become the Chief Minister again.
But Mr. Munda was ousted by Independent legislator Madhu Koda, who ruled the State till August 2008 with the support of the Congress, the JMM and the Rashtriya Janata Dal. Finding himself at the centre of a Rs.2,500-crore money laundering scam, he resigned. Mr. Soren filled the void with the help of the Congress. But he lost the Tamar Assembly by-election and quit in January 2009. As no party came forward to form a government, President's rule was imposed the same month.
No party secured majority in the elections held in December 2009 and January 2010. The BJP and the JMM joined hands to make Mr. Soren Chief Minister. But his government lasted for a short period, as Mr. Soren voted, with the Manmohan Singh government, against the BJP's cut motions in Parliament. An upset BJP withdrew support to Mr. Soren's government in May. He resigned on May 30 and President's rule was imposed on June 1.
