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JMM withdraws support to Rabri

The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha has decided to withdraw its support to the Rashtriya Janata Dal government in Bihar following RJD chief Laloo Prasad Yadav's opposition to the formation of a separate state of Vananchal.

Talking to reporters in Ranchi, JMM Legislature Party leader Stephan Marandi said a formal announcement in this regard would be made on Thursday.

Laloo Prasad Yadav had in a statement yesterday opposed the formation of a new state comprising 18 districts of the state.

The JMM, which has 19 members in the state assembly, is waiting for the green signal from party president Shibu Soren to formally withdraw support to Rabri Devi's government.

Marandi said Soren had already been apprised of his partymen's decision regarding withdrawal of support.

He claimed that withdrawal of support by the JMM would lead to the fall of the RJD government. The RJD, he said, had betrayed the people of Jharkhand by opposing the creation of the state.

He also asked the Congress to clarify its stand on the issue.

The JMM had extended support to the RJD government as the latter had adopted a resolution in the state legislature on July 22, 1997, calling for the creation of a separate Jharkhand state.

Meanwhile, the Jharkhand People's Party and the All-Jharkhand Students' Union have jointly given a call for a Jharkhand bandh on September 21 in protest against the RJD's stand. The two organisations have also appealed to other political parties sympathising with their cause to extend support to the bandh.

UNI

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