With the Jharkhand governor asking Chief Minister Madhu Koda to prove his majority within a week, the scene of political activities is likely to shift to the national capital. Both the claimants -- Koda and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha chief Shibu Soren -- plan to come to Deolhi to influence senior United Progressive Alliance leaders to support their cause.
Former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda, ex-Coal Secretary H C Gupta, former Jharkhand chief secretary Ashok Kumar Basu and six others were on Tuesday ordered to be put on trial by a special court on charges of corruption, criminal conspiracy and cheating in connection with a coal block allocation scam case.
"If our suggestions on development are not heard, there could be any decision any time," said Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee president Pradeep Kumar Balmachu. On October 1, Congress in-charge of Jharkhand Ajay Maken had told the Koda government in clear terms that the continuation of the party's outside support depended on development in the state and steps taken to check corruption. The chief minister, however, expressed optimism that the problems will be solved.
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha chief Shibu Soren on Tuesday staked claim for the chief ministership of Jharkhand, demanding that the incumbent Madhu Koda should quit soon, failing which support to the state government will be withdrawn."The decision regarding making me Jharkhand chief minister was taken long back but it is getting delayed. Hence, we arrived at the decision to withdraw support from the Koda government if he does not resign now," said Soren.
"We will take a final decision on whether to continue support to the Koda government after January 15. The decision will be taken on the basis of our assessment about how his government performed on development issues," Ajay Maken, party-in-charge of Jharkhand, told reporters.
However, in 950 booths, voting will end at 4 pm, though people standing in the queue at that time will be able to exercise their franchise.
On Thursday Koda had submitted a list of 41 MLAs and claimed the support of Sen and CPI-ML (Liberation) legislator Vinod Kumar Singh.
The reports said the four ministers are Madhu Koda, Enos Ekka, Harinarain Rai, and Kamlesh Singh.
"I did not get any such letter (announcing withdrawl of support). I learnt about it only through the media. I will speak to Debabrata Biswas (AIFB general secretary) on his party's grievances," Koda said when asked for his reaction.
The decision was taken to keep the BJP out of power.
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Kirit Somaiya on Friday alleged that Public Works Department Minister Chhagan Bhujbal and his family had links with Anil Vastavade, an aide of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda, who is in Enforcement Directorate's remand in connection with a multi-crore money-laundering case.
With the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha announcing its decision to withdraw support to Arjun Munda-led Bharatiya Janata Party government in Jharkhand, the prospect of a ninth government in 12 years is looming large over the state created on November 15, 2000.
Nearly 13.04 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 9 am on Wednesday in 43 assembly constituencies in Jharkhand where voting is underway in the first phase, officials said.
The BJP had resorted to a 12-day anti-corruption stir during Koda's chief ministership with senior party leaders each assigned to lead the stir on each of the 12 days. Sinha, who had led the agitation on one of the days, was booked for obstructing traffic on road.
With Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar meeting leaders of political parties in Delhi on Thursday -- a routine drill before commencement of a month-long Lok Sabha session -- hectic political activities have begun behind the scenes.
Chief ministers of five mineral-rich states, including Chhattisgarh, will meet Home Minister Shivraj Patil in New Delhi tomorrow to demand rejection of the recommendations of the Hooda Committee on mining.
Ravi Shankar Prasad, Bharatiya Janata Party's spokesperson, has confirmed that Shibu Soren is not acceptable to them as the chief minister of Jharkhand and the election commission should fresh election. the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal had already rejected Soren's claim, to chief ministership, who had withdrawan support to Madhu Koda government.
With the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha withdrawing support to the 23-month-old United Progressive Alliance government in Jharkhand and Chief Minister Madhu Koda still expressing confidence for a solution, all eyes are on Governor Syed Sibtey Razi as different political parties are meeting him and placing their views.
Rajya Sabha was adjourned thrice during Question Hour over separate issues, including the Liberhan Report and the alleged multi-crore scam involving former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda.
The chief ministers of five mineral-rich states on Wednesday urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for local value addition in the National Mineral Policy (NMP). They also argued that foreign firms must not be allowed to grab control of prized natural resources. The team consisted of Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Chhatishgarh CM Raman Singh, Jharkhand CM Madhu Koda, Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan and Rajasthan's Vasundhara Raje.
"Their (Arcelor Mittal) management board member Malay Mukherjee was here in Ranchi. He said the company is satisfied with the development of the proposed steel project in Jharkhand," Chief Minister Madhu Koda told reporters in Ranchi. He was reacting to a query that steel tycoon L N Mittal reportedly expressed disappointment with his projects, both in Jharkhand and Orissa, last week.
The party's decision, however, does not threaten the government's stability.
What if Madhu Koda or A Raja becomes the prime minister of this country? What if a prime minister, who is privy to the entire security secrets, sell such crucial information? In a 14-page letter to Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday, these were some of the reasons raised by Anna Hazare-led civil society members while arguing for bringing the PM under the purview of Lokpal.
Shibu Soren's hopes of making a comeback as Jharkhand chief minister by replacing incumbent Madhu Koda received a boost today with the Rashtriya Janata Dal assuring the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha supremo of its support. Soren said after his meeting with RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav in Delhi that the railway minister had not only promised his party's backing, but also assured him help in securing the support of independents.
India's one-day team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni might not be setting the cricket field on fire these days but it does not affect his brand value.
In Jharkhand, the company is hopeful of starting work as soon as the mines issue is resolved, while in Orissa, consultants for the detailed project report (DPR) and the socio-economic survey have been appointed.
Plunging the state into political uncertainty, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha on Sunday decided to withdraw support to the Madhu Koda-led coalition government in Jharkhand and explore the possibility of making its supremo Shibu Soren the chief minister with the support of Independents.The decision was taken after the crucial JMM legislators' meeting in Ranchi today. JMM has seventeen Members of Legislative Assembly in the 81-member House.
The stalemate on Mittal Steel's proposed 12-million tonne Jharkhand project is likely to be sorted out at the meeting between the Jharkhand chief minister and the select board members of Mittal Steel.
The BJP's top leadership will drop its MPs found to be facing anti-incumbency, according to its internal surveys -- a pivotal tactic to ensure the party achieves its target of winning 370 seats.
Polling will take place on Tuesday in 20 constituencies in Jharkhand spread across seven Maoist-hit tribal districts in the second of the five-stage elections to the 81-member assembly.
Laying down a host of criterion for the selection of candidates for the coming Lok Sabha elections, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi has made it known that no tainted leader will be given a ticket by the party.
Former minister of state for coal Dasari Narayan Rao, an accused in Jharkhand's Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block allocation scam case, on Tuesday said that decisions to allocate coal blocks were taken by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who was also heading the coal ministry at that time.
Where do the big guns stand as counting underway for the Jammu and Kashmir and Jharkhand elections?
A man has been arrested for allegedly offering a suitable reward to a former minister to vote in favour of the newly formed government headed by Hemant Soren in Jharkhand.
The CBI opposed the plea seeking summoning of former prime minister Manmohan Singh and two others as additional accused in a coal scam case.
Bharatiya Janata Party leader Raghubar Das was on Sunday sworn-in as the new chief minister of Jharkhand, becoming the first non-tribal leader to rule the state.
A BTech and PhD in police, human rights and social justice, Singh joined the federal anti-money laundering investigations agency in 2009 on deputation from Uttar Pradesh where he was serving as a state police service officer.
Renowned names from India Inc and politics are chargesheeted by the CBI before a special court in a coal blocks allocation scam case.
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