Jharkhand sees 7 govts in 9 years

PTI

Ranchi: Moves and counter moves on the political chessboard in Jharkhand have led seven governments to come and go in a span of nine years since its creation.

Almost all major political parties in the state have been in a ruling alliance at one point or the other with JMM chief Shibu Soren heading two different coalitions -- one at the head of the UPA and another at the head of the NDA.

Former BJP president Rajnath Singh had been instrumental in preventing Soren from becoming the first chief minister soon after the state’s creation on November 15, 2000, by cobbling up a loose NDA alliance headed by Babulal Marandi, the present Jharkhand Vikar Morcha (P) chief.

The Marandi government fell on the floor of the House in March 2003, but Rajnath, then the BJP’s in-charge of Jharkhand Affairs, replaced Marandi with Arjun Munda.

The first assembly elections in 2005 threw a fractured mandate and saw Soren taking over the mantle of the state. However, he could remain in the saddle for just nine days.

Soren failed to muster support on the floor of the House and bowed out of the office following which the BJP once again came to power with Arjun Munda this time again heading the government which lasted for barely one and half years.

However, rebellion began to surface in the government and Munda was dethroned by independent MLA Madhu Koda in September, 2006.

With the support of the Congress, JMM and RJD, Koda managed to run the state for 23 months.
Koda and three of his former cabinet colleagues are now in jail on corruption charges.

Soren regained the mantle in August 2008, only to step down in January 2009 after his lost an Assembly bypoll, bringing in year-long-President’s rule in the state.

When the Assembly results on December 23 last year threw up a fractured mandate giving JMM and BJP 18 seats each, Rajnath and BJP leader Ananth Kumar flew down to Ranchi and successfully checkmated Congress and ally JVM-P’s political manoeuvring and installed Soren as chief minister.

However, Soren again lost the post with alliance partner BJP today withdrawing support from the JMM-led government in retaliation to his voting for the UPA against in Lok Sabha.