Three-time Jharkhand chief minister Shibu Soren resigned late on Sunday night after failing to get the support of the Congress and its JVM(P) ally ahead of Monday’s scheduled confidence vote in the Assembly that might pave the way for a spell of President’s Rule in the state.
The beleagured chief minister, who has only 25 MLAs behind
him in the 82-member House, submitted the letter to governor M.O.H. Farook shortly after 10 pm at Raj Bhavan.
Mr Soren needed to muster a strength of 42 to sail through the trust vote.
Mr Farook asked him to continue as caretaker CM till further
arrangements, principal secretary to governor Sudhir Tripathi said. Mr Soren’s resignation came after he and deputy Sudesh Mahto failed to woo the BJP back into the fold ever since the 18-member BJP, along with two JD(U) MLAs, withdrew support to his five-month-old government on May 24. —PTI