Arjun Munda sworn in as Jharkhand chief minister

BJP leader Arjun Munda took oath as the eighth Chief Minister of Jharkhand at the head of a coalition government with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha.

Arjun Munda was on Saturday sworn in as Jharkhand Chief Minister heading a BJP-JMM coalition at a ceremony skipped by top BJP leaders, including L.K. Advani, amidst reports of differences within the party over forming a government again with its erstwhile partner.

AJSU chief Sudesh Mahto and JMM leader Hemant Soren, son of former chief minister Shibu Soren, were also sworn in at the ceremony, which was earlier scheduled to be held at 11:00 am but took place at 11:55 am, considered a more auspicious time.

Mr. Advani and other leaders including Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley kept away from the function apparently unhappy over the party coming together with JMM after breaking ties earlier this year when the Shibu Soren voted for the UPA government during voting on cut motions in Lok Sabha.

Though, officially, BJP leaders have attributed Mr. Advani’s decision to not attend the function to festivals falling on Saturday, party sources said the veteran leader has decided to skip the event as he is miffed with the developments.

BJP leaders are said to be miffed with party president Nitin Gadkari and former chief Rajnath Singh taking a decision on forming the coalition government in Jharkhand without involving others.

Governor M.O.H. Farooq, who invited Mr. Munda to form the government on September 9, had directed him to prove his majority on the floor of the house within a week.

The 42-year-old BJP leader, who became chief minister for a third time, is the eighth in 10 years since the mineral rich state was carved out of Bihar on November 15, 2000.

Mr. Munda has the support of 45 MLAs in the Assembly with an effective strength of 81.

No chief minister has ever completed a full term in the state.

The BJP and the JMM came back together after three months of parting company which had led to imposition of President’s Rule.

President’s Rule had been imposed in Jharkhand on June 1 with the Assembly being put under suspended animation after BJP withdrew support to the Shibu Soren-led government.

No party had come forward later to form an alternative government.

Among those who attended the swearing-in ceremony were BJP leader Rajnath Singh, the party’s chief spokesperson Ravishankar Prasad, Chhatisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal besides JMM supremo Shibu Soren and his wife Rupi.

The BJP and the JMM had formed a coalition government on December 30 last year under Shibu Soren. But it lasted for only five months

Arjun Munda once again at helm of affairs

Arjun Munda, who joined the BJP 12 years ago after quitting the JMM, is in his third stint as chief minister of mineral-rich Jharkhand in alliance with Shibu Soren’s party.

Mr. Munda, who along with his supporters prevailed over the BJP’s central leadership to take JMM’s support again in forming the government despite the earlier bitter experience, is the eighth chief minister of the state.

A graduate in social science, the 42-year-old tribal leader was with the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) before joining the JMM and winning the Kharsawan Assembly seat on its ticket in 1995.

Three years later he switched over to the BJP and retained his seat on a saffron ticket in the 2000 Assembly elections held in undivided Bihar.

He became the Tribal Welfare Minister in the first Babulal Marandi-led NDA coalition after Jharkhand was carved out from Bihar on November 15, 2000.

He replaced Marandi, whose government fell on the floor of the house in March 2003 after seven ministers from the coalition parties crossed the floor.

Mr. Munda led the NDA in the 2005 Assembly elections with the coalition securing 36 seats in the 81-member house, but had to wait a fortnight before forcing the 9-day-old Shibu Soren government out of office through a legal battle.

After securing the chief minister’s chair on March 13, 2005 he lost it to Madhu Koda, an independent, 18 months later.

Mr. Munda, who did not contest the 2009 Assembly elections after winning from Jamshedpur Lok Sabha seat in May, will have to win a bypoll to enter the house within six months.

He has won thrice from the Kharsawan Assembly seat since 1995. Mr. Munda is an avid golfer and is also interested in archery.