BJP meets to resolve Jharkhand crisis

NEW DELHI - Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders have begun a meeting here today to discuss the ongoing Jharkhand crisis.

“Decision to align with Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) would be taken only after Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren’s proposal,” party sources said.

Soren had reportedly written to BJP President Nitin Gadkari apologizing to him and other senior leaders Lal Krishna Advani and Sushma Swaraj for voting in favour of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government during Tuesday’s cut motion.

In his letter, Soren conceded that his support to the UPA Government during the cut motion moved by the Opposition was a mistake. He pleaded with Swaraj for justice for the people of Jharkhand.

The JMM leader wrote that he had sacrificed his life for the people of Jharkhand and was now indisposed.

Shibu Soren’s son Hemant Soren had earlier on Wednesday expressed his regret to the BJP for his father’s error, asserting that the Chief Minister was ready to resign and urged the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to take a fresh initiative to form a government with a new leader.

Hemant said the state wasn’t ready to face another poll.

“The JMM is ready to make a sacrifice for Guruji’s (Soren’s) mistake,” he said.

The BJP has till now declined Hemant Soren’s offer.

The JMM-led Government in Jharkhand was reduced to a minority on Wednesday after the BJP withdrew its support.

After the BJP’s pullout, the ruling coalition was reduced to having 28 seats from the original 46 it had in a House of 81.

Soren was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand for a third time on December 30, 2009.

He had formed the government with a five-party coalition.

Soren had secured the support of 44 MLAs in the 81-member House after the assembly elections in Jharkhand gave a fractured verdict.

The JMM had 18 seats, BJP had 18 seats, Janata Dal-United (JD-U) had two seats, All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) had five seats and Jharkhand Janadhikar Manch (JJM) had one seat in the assembly.

The Congress has 14 seats in the assembly. (ANI)