Cabinet recommends lifting Prez Rule in Jharkhand

The Union Cabinet on Tuesday recommended the lifting of President's Rule in Jharkhand to pave the way for the formation of a new government there on Wednesday.

The home ministry's note was placed before the Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who approved it, official sources said.

The Cabinet recommendation will now go to President Pratibha Patil who will issue orders for lifting of the central rule imposed on January 19 this year.

This was necessitated following an invitation by Governor K Sankaranaryanan, to Jharkhand Mukti Morcha supremo Shibu Soren, to take oath as chief minister on Wednesday.

The President cut short her visit to southern states, apparently due to the unrest in Hyderabad over the Telangana issue, and returned to the national capital today.

Rashtrapati Bhavan officials had said the departure of the President to Hyderabad has been deferred as she would like to be in Delhi at the time when President's rule in Jharkhand is revoked to facilitate the installation of a government there.

Soren, 65, who will become chief minister for the third time, will head a coalition that includes the Bharatiya Janata Party. The new government, which is taking the BJP support for the first time, will be the seventh coalition set-up in the mineral-rich state since its creation in November 2000.

The JMM-led coalition has a support of 44 Members of Legislative Assembly in the 81-member assembly.