The union cabinet today recommended to President Pratibha Patil to impose Central rule in Jharkhand after the resignation of chief minister Shibu Soren ahead of a trust vote in the Assembly.

The cabinet, at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, decided to recommend to the President to keep the state Assembly in suspended animation and impose Central rule.

Jharkhand Governor M O H Farooq had sent his report to the Centre yesterday after Congress and the BJP gave up efforts to form a government.

Farooq is understood to have recommended President's Rule after meeting leaders of major political parties in Ranchi.

The Soren government was reduced to a minority on May 24 when BJP, with 18 MLAs and JD(U) with two, withdrew support to it. The JMM, with 18 MLAs and having the support of seven other legislators, was short of the required 42 in the 82-member House.

The BJP took the decision after Soren voted against the cut motions sponsored by the opposition in Lok Sabha on April 27.

Congress, with a strength of 14, and its ally JVM(P) with 11 members, said it did not have the numbers to stake claim to form a government.