The Congress on Tuesday remained undecided whether to go it alone in poll-bound Jharkhand or tie up with regional parties.
Jharkhand Governor Syed Ahmed on Wednesday recommended to the Centre revocation of President's rule, a day after Jharkhand Mukti Morcha staked claim to form a new government in the state.
Hours after the Union Cabinet decided to impose President's rule in Jharkhand, the Sibu Soren-led Jharkhand Mukti Morcha on Monday said all options are still open, indicating that the exercise to form a government is still on. "None of the United Progressive Alliance constituents -- the JMM, the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal -- want President's rule in the state," JMM general secretary and minister for parliamentary affairs Suman Mahato said.
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha chief and outgoing Chief Minister Shibu Soren was on Tuesday admitted to a private hospital after he complained of heaviness in the chest, the hospital sources said.Earlier in the morning, Soren was taken to the Central Coalfields Limited Hospital after he complained of uneasiness. The doctors at the CCL Hospital referred him to the Apollo Hospital.
A large section of the Congress - an ally of the coalition government in Jharkhand - initially preferred President's Rule. But Congress President Sonia Gandhi had to change her mind today as RJD chief Lalu Prasad is keen to see that the Jharkhand government continues with a new chief minister.
There are reports that Jharkhand Mukti Morcha chief Shibu Soren may meet the Haryana governor on Friday to discuss the formation of the new government in the state.
The Congress on Thursday dismissed an opinion poll predicting party vide-president Rahul Gandhi as the third choice for prime ministerial prospect, terming it inaccurate.
Amidst reports of his keenness for the Jharkhand chief minister's chair, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha president Sibu Soren on Tuesday said that the situation would be 'made clear' after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh returns from his impending trip to Colombo."Be it union ministership or chief ministership, everything will be decided only after the Prime Minister completes his foreign engagement," Soren, whose party provided critical support to the UPA.
The Congress, who has presently become a "leaderless" party, has also been facing multiple shocks at the state levels.
Lieutenant General J F R Jacob, Chief of Staff, Eastern Army Command during the 1971 war, revealed how, armed with only a draft surrender document and an aide, he made the Pakistani army led by Lieutenant General A A K Niazi surrender.
Lieutenant General J F R Jacob, Chief of Staff, Eastern Army Command during the 1971 war, revealed how, armed with only a draft surrender document and an aide, he made the Pakistani army led by Lieutenant General A A K Niazi surrender.
Lieutenant General J F R Jacob, Chief of Staff, Eastern Army Command during the 1971 war, revealed how, armed with only a draft surrender document and an aide, he made the Pakistani army led by Lieutenant General A A K Niazi surrender.
Lieutenant General J F R Jacob, Chief of Staff, Eastern Army Command during the 1971 war, revealed how, armed with only a draft surrender document and an aide, he made the Pakistani army led by Lieutenant General A A K Niazi surrender.
Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik was directed by Governor M C Bhandare on Sunday to prove his majority on the floor of the Assembly on March 11 after his coalition government was reduced to a minority following Bharatiya Janata Party's withdrawal of support ending their 11-year-old alliance.
'A rag-tag coalition is more insecure and hence, more inclined to reform,' argues Devangshu Datta.
A furious Taliban leadership has decided to send their fighters to Islamabad as a reaction to the army operations in the Swat valley on the troubled border with Afghanistan.
More than 20 national leaders will attend the meeting, TMC sources said. Most of them have already arrived in Kolkata.
Lieutenant General J F R Jacob, Chief of Staff, Eastern Army Command during the 1971 war, reveals how, armed with only a draft surrender document and an aide, he made the Pakistani army led by Lieutenant General A A K Niazi surrender.
More than four months after becoming the Jharkhand chief minister, Jharkhand Mukti Morch supremo Shibu Soren was on Thursday submitted his resignation following a humiliating defeat in the bypolls.
Allies of embattled Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren have demanded that he quit immediately to clear the political uncertainty, following his failure to enter the state assembly."We all adhere to the Constitution. And Guruji (Soren) should have resigned immediately after his defeat in the Tamar bypoll. He should resign forthwith," Deputy Chief Minister Stephen Marandi said.
Once an apprentice with Tata Steel, 46-year-old Gopal Krishna Patar now proudly carries the 'giant killer' tag after humbling Jharkhand chief minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha supremo Shibu Soren in the by-election to the Tamar assembly constituency
Koda, scheduled to face a trial of strength in a special session of the assembly on August 25, had been insisting on a meeting of the UPA to sort out the differences instead of airing views here and there. The chief minister added that he would place his views to them of his performance in past two years, which he thought would justify his claim to complete the tenure.
With the Jharkhand governor asking Chief Minister Madhu Koda to prove his majority within a week, the scene of political activities is likely to shift to the national capital. Both the claimants -- Koda and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha chief Shibu Soren -- plan to come to Deolhi to influence senior United Progressive Alliance leaders to support their cause.
With the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha withdrawing support to the 23-month-old United Progressive Alliance government in Jharkhand and Chief Minister Madhu Koda still expressing confidence for a solution, all eyes are on Governor Syed Sibtey Razi as different political parties are meeting him and placing their views.
The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha on Wednesday said they had no differences with the United Progressive Alliance and would contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls in alliance with UPA and its allies in Jharkhand. JMM MP from Giridih, Teklal Mahto, said, "We had contested the last election together and won 13 of the 14 Lok Sabha seats in the state. JMM would contest the forthcoming election with the UPA."
Though United Progressive Alliance parties have already voiced their support to the government if it banned Bajrang Dal, leaders from Biju Janata Dal, Bharatiya janata Party, Communist Party of India-Marxist, Congress and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha evaded a direct reply to questions from media persons on the issue, as they came out of the National Integration Council meeting in New Delhi.
Sikkim was cut off from the rest of the country when Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha activists blocked the National Highway 31A early on Saturday as part of their 24-hour strike in the Darjeeling Hills region. Vehicular traffic between Sikkim and Siliguri via the NH-31A has been totally paralysed since early morning, police officials at Rangpo inter-state border checkpost said. Only a few vehicles belonging to the military forces, press persons and some ambulances were seen.
Hansda's name will be proposed when JMM supremo Shibu Soren meets UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi shortly, the JMM central committee decided on Thursday night, party sources said. "My name has been added to the list as I am the only woman MLA in JMM and a four-time MLA," Hansda told media persons.
The Congress on Wednesday termed the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leadership's decision to project two new persons for the post of chief minister as their own, saying that the party would not initiate any step to form a new government in Jharkhand, which is under President's Rule.
After ensuring Jharkhand chief ministership for party chief Shibu Soren, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha has now upped the ante for ensuring two ministerial berths at the Centre for its party MPs. Soren is learnt to have apprised the United Progressive Alliance leadership about the party's choice for JMM general secretary and Rajmahal MP Hemlal Murmu and the party's chief whip and Giridih MP Teklal Mahato for the berths in the Union council of ministers.
Jharkhand Governor Sibte Razi has in a letter to the Union Home Minister P Chidambaram recommended that the Centre move to impose President's Rule in the state.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren on Thursday lost in the Tamar assembly by-poll by over 9,000 votes to Gopal Krishna Patar, his rival from the Jharkhand Party candidate.The by-poll was held on January 3 and the counting was taken up today.The Jhrakhand Mukti Morcha chief is likely to lose his chief ministerial seat.
Optimistic over forming a new government in Jharkand, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha is all set to stake a claim for government formation, with Rashtriya Janata Dal supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav vowing to install him as chief minister at all costs.Requiring a majority of 41 for the 81-member House, the JMM has 17 MLAs and guaranteed support of Congress, RJD and NCP.Four independents have pledged support to Soren and the JMM is lobbying to get the backing of at least 3 independents.
Although conventional political wisdom would decree that the construction of a 'magnificent' Ram temple at his 'birth-place' would bring the BJP a big yield of votes in the prospective elections, its leaders know by now that the mandir must not exist in isolation in its game plan, reports Radhika Ramaseshan.
The Rashtriya Janata Dal on Saturday announced its support for Jharkhand Mukti Morcha chief Shibu Soren in forming the next government in Jharkhand after the resignation of incumbent Madhu Koda.Prasad also dismissed the recent statement of Koda in which he had said he was not joining any government and had dubbed the current political situation 'ill-timed and unnecessary' as just an outburst.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda resigned from his post on Saturday. He handed over his resignation letter to Governor Syed Sibte Razi.Koda took the decision after consultations with senior leaders including United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi and his mentor Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav. Jharkhand Mukti Morcha had on August 17 withdrawn support to the Jharkhand government, reducing the Koda government to a minority.
Shibu Soren's hopes of making a comeback as Jharkhand chief minister by replacing incumbent Madhu Koda received a boost today with the Rashtriya Janata Dal assuring the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha supremo of its support. Soren said after his meeting with RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav in Delhi that the railway minister had not only promised his party's backing, but also assured him help in securing the support of independents.
The bone of contention is believed to have been the number of the seats the Congress wants to contest in the national capital.
The JMM has convened a crucial meeting of the party's central committee and legislature party on Sunday where a formal decision of withdrawal would be made. Soren is scheduled to call on Governor Syed Sibtey Razi after the party meeting as Razi has allowed his request for an appointment at 7 pm, Raj Bhavan sources said.
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha chief Shibu Soren on Tuesday staked claim for the chief ministership of Jharkhand, demanding that the incumbent Madhu Koda should quit soon, failing which support to the state government will be withdrawn."The decision regarding making me Jharkhand chief minister was taken long back but it is getting delayed. Hence, we arrived at the decision to withdraw support from the Koda government if he does not resign now," said Soren.