J'khand: Munda is new BJP legislature party leader

Former Chief Minister Arjun Munda was on Tuesday elected the leader of Bharatiya Janata Party Legislature Party in Jharkhand as the party decided to stake claim along with allies Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and All Jharkhand Students Union to form a new government.

Munda was elected as the leader of the BJP legislature at an urgent meeting convened on Tuesday morning after incumbent Raghuvar Das quit from the post.

A BJP delegation is scheduled to meet Governor M O H Farooq at 1300 hrs to take stake claim to form the government in the state, which is under President's rule since June.

Das said he received a telephone call from the party's president Nitik Gadkari on Monday night, who asked him to convene a meeting of the BJP legislature party this morning.

"As per direction I quit from my post and Arjun Munda was today chosen in my place at the legislature party meeting," he told reporters.

The BJP has 18 members, the JMM 18, AJSU five and Janata Dal-United 2 in the 82 member house.

Before the imposition of President's rule, the Shibu Soren coalition government also had the support of an independent member and another member who supported it from outside. The BJP decided to form the government after JMM and AJSU offered unconditional support.