BJP Withdraws Support from JMM Govt in Jharkhand
BJP has withdrawn support from JMM government in Jharkhand, terming chief minister Shibu Soren’s action of voting in favour of the UPA government in cut motion in Lok Sabha as an ‘act of betrayal’, said media reports.
The action came following a parliamentary board meeting convened to hold discussions on ties with JMM in Jharkhand where the two parties ran a coalition government.
Earlier, senior party leaders had said that the BJP took very serious note of the move and was not willing to buy any explanation from Soren’s son Hemant who earlier said that it happed by ‘mistake’, reports said.
“The voting in favour of UPA by Soren is an act of betrayal. The manner in which he has voted is a betrayal of coalition dharma. We have taken it very seriously. Senior party leaders will take a call on it,” senior BJP leader Prakash Javdekar was quoted as saying.
Venkaiah Naidu made similar remarks, saying, “It’s a clear betrayal.”
“You can’t be heading a government with the support of BJP, be in opposition and at the same time, support the ruling party at the Centre. It is not acceptable. On what to do the party will meet and discuss. It is a serious issue,” he was quoted as saying.
He also rejected Hemant’s explanation that his father voted for UPA by mistake, reports said.
Yashwant Sinha, senior party leader from Jharkhand, said: “He (Soren) is there (on the Chief Minister’s chair) in Jharkhand with our support. Therefore, the least that was expected of him that he would not go to this stage. He could have stayed neutral.”
In response to a query if the party would act on the matter, he was quoted as saying: “We will sit down and take stock of the situation.”
He said that Soren’s move indicated that ‘perhaps, he as some plans up his sleeve’, said reports.
Quoting unnamed sources reports said that after vote, top BJP leaders were furious and held discussions with Soren.
Soren met BJP chief Nitin Gadkari last night and during the meeting his decision not to vote with the BJP came up for discussion, reports said.
Gadkari has called a meeting of the BJP parliamentary board, the highest decision making body of the party, to deliberate on the issue.
(Based on media reports)
