Jharkhand Chief Minister Babulal Marandi resigns

RANCHI: Jharkhand Chief Minister Babulal Marandi resigned on Monday ahead of the trial of strength in the state Assembly following his inability to muster numbers in his favour.
The resignation came hardly an hour before the Assembly was to meet for a session convened by rebel Speaker Inder Singh Namdhari, who himself is the Opposition candidate for the next chief minister.
The NDA sees it as an opportunity to stake claim for an alternative government in Jharkhand to be headed by Union Minister Karia Munda, the sources said.