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BJP to court arrest over President rule in J'khand

January 17, 2013 18:58 IST

The Bharatiya Janata Party said its members would court arrest on Friday in Jharkhand against the Union cabinet's recommendation of President's rule in the state keeping the assembly in suspended animation.

"The party has called a jail bharo andolan in every district in protest against the Centre ignoring the cabinet decision to dissolve the house in favour of a fresh mandate," BJP's state unit President Dineshanand Goswami said.

"The Arjun Munda government had recommended dissolution of the House, but the Congress-led government at the Centre wants the assembly to be kept in suspended animation under President's rule to rule the

state indirectly," Goswami said at a dharna near Raj Bhavan.

All Jharkhand Students Union president and former deputy chief minister Sudesh Mahto said, "The decision is contrary to the people's desire for an elected government. Keeping the assembly in suspended animation under President's rule is no alternative."

He said since no party had the mandate to form a government the assembly should have been dissolved to allow a fresh mandate.

Mahto was one of the seven ministers present on January 8 when the erstwhile Arjun Munda government recommended dissolution of House to Governor Syed Ahmed to pave the way for fresh elections.