Munda govt in crisis, four ministers quit

Cong wary of an alternative govt, may push for fresh polls.

Arjun Munda-led NDA government in Jharkhand today plunged into a deeper crisis with four ministers faxing their resignations to Governor Syed Sibte Razi. Before this, the NDA had 43 members in the 81-member House as against 39 of the UPA.

The four ministers are Madhu Koda, Enos Ekka, Harinarayan Rai and Kamlesh Singh. The first three, Independents, were in Delhi for the last three days for talks with the UPA leaders on forming an alternative government.

UPA sources said UGDP MLA Bandhu Tirkey accompanied the three Independent MLAs from Delhi to Ranchi and was present when the three, along with Kamlesh Singh, called on the governor.

Water Resources Minister Kamlesh Singh of the NCP joined the rebels today, alleging that police misbehaved with him last night when he was on his way to Kolkata to catch a flight to Delhi for meeting the three other ministers to find a solution to the crisis.

"If the chief minister does not have confidence in his own minister, how can one think of the progress of the state?" he said.

"A group of policemen surrounded my car in Jamshedpur, searched the vehicle and seized the keys from my driver, saying they are carrying out the chief minister's orders." he said.

Singh, the only NCP minister in the state, said it was too early to comment on whether he would join the UPA.

The car of Enos Ekka was attacked by a mob, which broke its window pane as he was driving out of the airport in Ranchi.

State RJD President Goutam Sagar Rana informed the governor about the incident. "The BJP activists have tried to attack the vehicle of Enos Ekka. We request you to take appropriate steps in this regard," he told the governor at the Raj Bhavan.

The Congress leadership was, however, cagey about toppling the NDA government as its own government would also have a wafer-thin majority, making it vulnerable to "blackmailing" by Independents, party sources said.

"It is not possible to give a stable government. We are in no hurry. Let's see if more people are willing to join us. It is a fluid situation," a senior Congress leader said. Sources said the Congress was also exploring the possibility of pushing for fresh elections. A major problem the UPA leaders may face is the choice of the chief minister. While the three NDA ministers talking with its leaders want Madhu Koda to be the next chief minister, there are other contenders, including Union Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader Shibu Soren and his ministerial colleague Subodh Kant Sahay.

In Hyderabad, BJP Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu accused the Centre of destabilising non-Congress governments and said it was closely monitoring the situation in Jharkhand.

"We are in touch with our leaders in the tribal state", Naidu said.

When asked if the party had the required number of MLAs to form its own government, Naidu said, "Things would be sorted out soon".

"The UPA is back to its destabilisation game. It did this in Jharkhand earlier too, but had to backtrack after court intervention," he added.

The crisis comes two days before the BJP national executive meets in Dehra Dun from September 7.

BJP President Rajnath Singh blamed the crisis on the Congress, but insisted the government would survive.