Jharkhand Vikas Morcha formally withdraws support from UPA

A delegation of JVM MPs and seniors leaders led by party chief Babulal Marandi met President Pranab Mukherjee and submitted a letter withdrawing support from the government.

Marandi was accompanied by another party MP Ajay Kumar, and leaders Pradip Yadav, Gautam Sagar Rana, Rajiv Ranjan Prasad and others.

In the letter, Marandi said that the JVM had extended unconditional support to UPA government led by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2009 on the plank of secularism and with the hope that this government will fulfil peoples aspirations.

He said that he was also hopeful that the government will try to bring Jharkhand in the category of developed states by giving special attention to it. Congress and JVM had fought the last general elections together in an alliance.

"On the contrary, the government of Manmohan Singh has put unbearable burden on common people with one after another anti-people decision like bringing FDI in multi-brand retail and massive increase in price of diesel and cooking gas.

"Similarly the government is establishing a record in corruption with one after another scam like 2G spectrum, CWG, and coal block allocations taking place. JVM (P) withdraws support from Manmohan Singh government in these situations," Marandi said.

Talking to PTI, he said that his party will maintain equi-distance from both BJP and Congress as "both have only looted Jharkhand". Marandi ruled out the possibility of his return to BJP saying "question does not arise".

The JVM (P) chief said that his party will go alone in Jharkhand but "will support if any Third Front shapes up at the central level after 2014 general elections".

Marandi had announced withdrawal of support to UPA government last month itself soon after the government introduced FDI in multi-brand retail.