LK Advani mum on Jharkhand govt issue

Senior BJP leader LK Advani today evaded queries on reports that he was unhappy about his party's decision to form a coalition government with JMM in Jharkhand.

Asked why he kept away from the swearing-in ceremony of Arjun Munda as chief minister in Ranchi today, he wished the reporters on Eid and Ganesh Chaturthi and walked away.

Reports had it that Advani and other leaders including Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley kept away from the function as they were apparently unhappy over the party coming together with JMM after breaking ties earlier this year when its chief Shibu Soren voted for the UPA government on cut motions in Lok Sabha.

Advani and Jaitley attended the Eid milan programme at party MP Shahnawaz Hussain's residence here.

President's Rule was imposed in Jharkhand on June one with the Assembly being put in suspended animation after BJP withdrew support to Shibu Soren-led government.

The move to form a fresh government with JMM yet again had the backing of party chief Nitin Gadkari and former BJP president Rajnath Singh.

Incidentally, Gadkari himself too could not attend the swearing in ceremony due to Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in his hometown Nagpur.

Gadkari wrote to Munda congratulating him on becoming the chief minister and hoped that his government would do well in facing the challenge of development and Naxalism.

Rajnath had attended the oath taking function at Ranchi this morning.