With no early Assembly polls in sight despite the resignation of its entire legislature party, the BJP is keen to keep the issue burning and make sure that it is not hijacked by the Left, which has been equally vociferous about the continuance of President’s Rule in the state.

The party, whose senior leaders met President Pratibha Patil last week to protest against the Centre’s decision to keep the state Assembly in suspended animation, will hold another demonstration in Hazaribagh on Wednesday. The party’s writ petition questioning the decision not to hold the polls together with Haryana, Maharashtra and Arunanchal Pradesh is slated to coming up for hearing on September 29. The party also plans to gherao the Raj Bhavan on October 11. “We will also raise the matter in the Lok Sabha,” said party spokesperson Sanjay Seth.

The CPM and CPI have already announced a ‘jail bharo’ agitation to demand dissolution of the Assembly and early polls. The schedule for the agitation has, however, not been made public.

“It is a shame that though the 82-member Assembly was reduced to 42, the Assembly was not dissolved till date,” said CPM’s Rajendra Singh Munda. “Under President’s Rule, the state government is being run by the bureaucrats. Even the Governor’s three advisers are ex-bureaucrats. Why can’t they be appointed from among members of the political parties,” asked CPI state secretary Sachidanand Mishra.

However, with the Centre indicating that polls cannot be held this year as the state is hosting the 34th National Games from November 21, the Congress is hoping that the BJP and the Left would reconcile to the situation.

... contd.