By IANS,
Ranchi : The ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) Monday dared the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) to withdraw support to the BJP-led Arjun Munda government in the state.
The BJP challenge came after the JMM sided with the government in parliament five days ago over the issue of foreign direct investment in retail trade, causing unhappiness in BJP ranks.
“JMM should go to Raj Bhavan. Why should we fell our own government?” asked Harendra Pratap, a BJP leader in charge of the party unit in Jharkhand.
He added that the BJP did not want President’s Rule in the state.
In response, JMM legislator Lobin Hembrom said: “The BJP is hungry for power. We dare the BJP to take a stance like it did in April 2010.”
JMM MP Kameshwar Baitha voted for the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government while MP Shibu Soren abstained from voting in the Lok Sabha during the vote on foreign equity in retail trade.
As the Rajya Sabha voted on the matter Dec 7, the JMM abstained.
In April 2010, after Shibu Soren voted for the UPA government in the Lok Sabha on a BJP motion on price hike, the BJP withdrew support to the JMM government.
“Let the BJP decide whether they want to be in the (Jharkhand) government or not. We have taken a stand on FDI,” Deputy Chief Minister and JMM leader Hemant Soren told reporters Sunday.
The BJP took power in Jharkhand with JMM’s support in September 2010.