New Delhi/Ranchi, Sept 11 (IBNS) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Nitin Gadkari said he was unable to be present at Arjun Munda?s swearing ceremony as the chief minister of a BJP-JMM coalition government in Jharkhand, due to Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations at his residence.
?Due to Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations at my residence in Nagpur, I was unable to join other senior BJP leaders in sharing the party?s success in ending the President?s rule and giving the state a popular government,? Gadkari wrote in a letter to Munda on Saturday.
?I send all my best wishes to you on this occasion and wish every success to you and the government led by you in giving the people of Jharkhand what they deserve; that is, a strong, stable and effective government,? the BJP president said.
He further said the tribal communities of Jharkhand have always ?reposed their faith? in BJP and its alliance partners.
?I am sure you will take every care of their agonies and aspirations. I am confident your government will offer a ?government that delivers? to the people of Jharkhand,? Gadkari told Munda.
Munda took oath as chief minister of Jharkhand for the third time- he is the eighth chief minister of the state with Saturday’s swearing in- following the withdrawal of the President’s rule imposed after the BJP-Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) coalition led by Shibu Soren broke up.
BJP parliamentary board had on April 28 decided to withdraw support to the JMM government in Jharkhand after Soren voted against the party-sponsored cut motion in Parliament.
Soren had to resign as chief minister in May.
Arjun Munda, who was a front runner for the post, was administered the oath by Governor M O H Farook at Raj Bhavan here on Saturday.
Neither BJP national president Nitin Gadkari, who was in favour of a BJP led government with the JMM again, nor party stalwart L.K. Advani was present at the ceremony amid reports earlier that Advani was not happy with the developments.
BJP Party spokesperson Ravishankar Prasad, however, rubbished the news of a rift in the party that was fuelled by the decision of L K Advani to skip the swearing-in ceremony.
Former BJP chief Rajnath Singh attended the function.