The JMM action came even as the Jharkhand Cabinet decided to recommend dissolution of the state assembly to prevent any "horse trading-like situation".

JMM leader and Deputy Chief Minister Hemant Soren told reporters at the Raj Bhavan that "We have submitted the letter to the governor and informed him that the JMM's withdrawal has reduced the government to minority."

Soren was accompanied by his father JMM supremo Shibu Soren and other party leaders to the Raj Bhavan.

He said Munda cabinet's decision to dissolve the house 'does not stand' as JMM had yesterday itself announced its decision to pull out its support to the BJP-led government over the accord on rotational leadership of the coalition and had faxed a letter to the Raj Bhavan even before the cabinet met.

However, Munda said, "Such letters are not faxed. One should physically submit it to the governor."

He has taken appointment with the governor to submit the cabinet's decision on the dissolution of the house.

Earlier in the day Raj Bhavan sources confirmed that JMM had submitted its letter of withdrawal of support to the Arjun Munda-led BJP government.

Munda said the government has sought time from the governor at 11.30 AM to convey the cabinet decision to recommend dissolution of the house.

The decision was taken in a cabinet meeting in the morning to prevent any 'horse trading-like situation', he said.

"Seven ministers (of the coalition government) were present in the cabinet meeting and it was decided to recommend dissolution of the state assembly," Munda said. No JMM member was present at the meeting.

The decision, he said, was taken as no national party had openly come forward to provide an alternative government in the wake of the JMM's announcement to pull out of the government.

The BJP, JMM, AJSU and JD(U) had formed the government on September 11, 2010, but ties between BJP and JMM came under strain recently over the rotational leadership issue.

While JMM had insisted that there was a power sharing formula in which the two parties would rule for 28 months each, BJP had bluntly rejected it leading to the JMM's decision to withdraw support.

In the 82-member state assembly, BJP and JMM have 18 members each and the Munda government also enjoys the support of six members of All Jharkhand Students' Union, two of JD (U), two independents and one nominated member who has voting right in a trial of strength.

Opposition Congress has a total 13, Jharkhand Vikas Morcha(P)11 and RJD 5 members in the assembly. CPI-ML(L), Marxist Coordination Party, Jharkhand Party(Ekka), Jharkhand Janadhikar Manch and Jai Bharat Samta Party have one member each besides the support of an independent.

Jharkhand Cabinet decision not binding on Governor: Congress

New Delhi: Jharkhand Cabinet's decision recommending dissolution of the Assembly was "not binding" on the Governor as it was done by the Arjun Munda Government after being reduced to a "minority", Congress said today.

"It is not binding on the Governor to accept the recommendation of a minority government. It was crystal clear that the BJP-led government had been reduced to a minority after withdrawal of support by the JMM", senior leader Shakeel Ahmed said.

Ahmed, who is in-charge of Congress affairs in Jharkhand, said that the party would await the decision of Governor Syed Ahmed before deciding its future course of action.

Earlier in the day, Munda submitted to the Jharkhand governor the Cabinet decision recommending dissolution of the Assembly and also his resignation.

Ahmed, who had held talks with PCC Chief Pradip Balmuchu and CLP leader Rajinder Singh, had said yesterday that Congress is maintaining wait-and-watch attitude over the political developments in Jharkhand and would not to do anything before the Chief Minister resigns.

In the 82-member state assembly, BJP and JMM have 18 members each and the Munda government also enjoys the support of six members of All Jharkhand Students' Union, two of JD(U), two independents and one nominated member who has voting right in a trial of strength.

Opposition Congress has a total 13, Jharkhand Vikas Morcha(P)11 and RJD 5 members in the assembly. CPI-ML(L), Marxist Coordination Party, Jharkhand Party(Ekka), Jharkhand Janadhikar Manch and Jai Bharat Samta Party have one member each besides the support of an independent.

JVM(P) asks Jharkhand Governor to dissolve assembly

Dumka: Jharkhand Vikas Morcha(P) chief Babulal Marandi today urged the Jharkhand Governor to dissolve the Assembly and recommend fresh elections apprehending possibility of horse-trading after the Arjun Munda-led coalition government was reduced to a minority.

"80 to 90 per cent of the people strongly favour fresh elections," he told reporters.

Marandi claimed that the BJP and JMM, which had fought the 2009 election against each other led to the formation of a weak government.

Marandi, a former chief minister, alleged that all the governments formed in the state during the last three years were based on horse-trading.

He made it clear that his party would not support any political party or alliance to form a new government in the state.

A meeting of JVM(P) MLAs and senior party leaders would be held in Ranchi tomorrow after which a party delegation would meet the governor to demand fresh elections.

JVM has decided to contest all 81 assembly seats in the state on its own and started preparations for it accordingly, Marandi said.

JVM(P) has 11 members in the 82-member Assembly.

Munda's roller-coaster ride in Jharkhand politics

Ranchi: Chief Minister Arjun Munda, who headed a coalition government of BJP/JMM/Ajsu party/JDU since September 11, 2010, today resigned for the third time as the saga of political instability continued in Jharkhand since its creation 12 years ago.

Beginning his political career with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha under Shibu Soren in the 1980s, Munda switched sides joining the BJP and winning the assembly polls from Kharsawan since 1995.

Born on January 5, 1968 at Ghorabandha in Jamshedpur, Munda, a graduate, became a minister in the Babulal Marandi council when Jharkhand was carved out from Bihar on November 15, 2000 during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee regime at the Centre.

Munda, who was just another minister in the BJP-led government, shot into the limelight when he replaced Marandi in March 2003, after the government fell on the floor of the assembly when some cabinet ministers crossed the floor.

After assuming charge, one of the first decisions taken by Munda was clearing off some cases, including his own, registered during the Jharkhand movement.

The 45-year-old deftly managed the Marandi camp till the 2005 assembly elections threw up a fractured mandate that triggered a month-long drama following the then Governor S S Razi appointing Shibu Soren as chief minister who resigned after nine days, giving Arjun Munda his second stint as the head of the BJP-led government.

Buoyed at becoming CM for the second time, Munda slowly sidelined Marandi, who had no choice but to break away from the saffron party to float the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantric).

Munda's focus was so much on Marandi after taking the mantle from him that he was caught unawares when he lost power on September 14, 2006 to Madhu Koda.

Koda staged the coup d'etat along with Harinarain Rai, Enos Ekka and Kamlesh Singh who were later booked in corruption cases.

Munda, who was elected to Lok Sabha in the 2009 general elections, again received a third chance to lead an unpredictable coalition after Soren resigned following withdrawal of support by the BJP on May 24, 2010.

Subsequently, both BJP and JMM came together on September 10, 2010 after a brief spell of President's rule.