New Delhi: The union cabinet has decided to extend the President's rule in Jharkhand for six more months beyond July 18, inviting angry reactions from the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that said the government should facilitate early elections in the state.

The decision was taken on the basis of Governor Syed Sibtey Razi's report dated June 16, according to which Jharkhand continues to be in a state of political impasse and no party was willing to form the government, Information and Broadcasting Minister and cabinet spokesperson Ambika Soni told reporters after the cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

No political party or group has come forward to stake claim to forming the government in the state, said Soni, quoting from the governor's report and added that the cabinet accordingly decided to extend the President's rule by six months.

The President's rule under Article 356 of the constitution was imposed in Jharkhand Jan 19, 2009 and the state assembly was kept in suspended animation.

The President's rule is valid for six months and it has to be extended for its continuance, said Soni adding that the government will place a report on Jharkhand in the ongoing session of parliament.

The BJP's national vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and the party's Jharkhand unit chief Raghuvar Das criticised the move. But the Congress defended the decision saying there was little option in view of the impasse in Jharkhand.

Naqvi said: "The assembly has been kept in suspended animation for six months and the government formation is difficult. It is not in good taste for democracy that you extend the President's rule further.

"The government should try to facilitate formation of a new government by going in for fresh elections," he added.

Das said: "We condemn it, it is a wrong decision. They should have dissolved the state assembly."

President's rule was imposed in Jharkhand Jan 19 this year following the collapse of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) government.

The state came under the President's rule after then chief minister Shibu Soren lost a key by-poll from Tamar constituency that was necessary for him to win to continue in power as per the law. Following his stepping down, there could be no consensus on the leadership of an alternative government.

The state assembly was kept in suspended animation. Over eight months are still left for the Jharkhand assembly and the state is scheduled to go to polls in March next year.

The Congress said there was no alternative to extending The President's rule. "There were several conflicting views and different opinions by political parties. So it had to be extended," Congress spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed said.

Asked why was the government not facilitating fresh elections in the state, he said: "The President's rule has been extended for the time being. When the possibility emerges, the assembly will be dissolved."

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