The Hindu : Front Page : Madhu Koda to lead UPA government

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Friday, Sep 15, 2006
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Madhu Koda to lead UPA government

Venkitesh Ramakrishnan

Munda quits without facing floor test

RANCHI: The 18-month-old Arjun Munda-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government in Jharkhand fell on Thursday, paving the way for the formation of a United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government under the leadership of Independent MLA Madhu Koda.

The selection of Mr. Koda as Chief Minister-designate by the UPA has created history as it is for the first time in the country that an Independent MLA has been chosen to lead a coalition, consisting of mainstream parties such as the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).

Mr. Koda met Governor Syed Sibtey Razi on Thursday evening and staked his claim to form a government.

With the resignation of the NDA Ministry, Speaker Inder Singh Namdhari, who in a way hastened the fall of the Government by reserving the decision on petitions to disqualify three pro-UPA MLAs, also demitted office. Mr. Namdhari is an MLA of the Janata Dal (United), which is part of the NDA.

Leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party, including Mr. Munda, claimed till late on Wednesday that the NDA had a majority in the 82-member Assembly, despite the departure of these Ministers. However, on Thursday morning, it backed out from a trial of strength as Mr. Munda announced his resignation.

The resignation was announced in the Assembly after it convened for a special one-day session to test the strength of the NDA Ministry. A short while before Mr. Munda made the announcement, 43 MLAs opposed to the NDA entered the Assembly together. On the other hand, there were only 39 members, including a nominated MLA, on the treasury benches.

Following the adjournment of the House, the leaders of the UPA, including Union Ministers Lalu Prasad and Shibu Soren, who had flown in from Delhi, and the MLAs supporting the UPA met for a round of discussions. Later, they announced that Mr. Koda would lead the new government.

Apparently, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), which has 17 MLAs, demanded that Mr. Soren be made Chief Minister. However, Mr. Koda's name found greater acceptance.

Mr. Koda also enjoys the support of four Independent MLAs, two MLAs each of the UGDP and the Forward Bloc, and the lone member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) and the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha.

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