Madhu Koda sworn-in J'khand CM with 3 ministers

Ranchi, Sep 18 (UNI) UPA-backed Independent MLA Madhu Koda was sworn-in as the fourth Chief Minister of Jharkhand along with three of his ministerial colleagues at an impressive function at the historic Morhabadi ground here today.

With this Mr Koda touched another milestone in his relatively low profile political career when he became the third Independent MLA to become a Chief Minister after Bishwanath Das of Orissa (1971) and Dr F A Khonglam of Meghalaya (2002).

This afternoon, in a marked deviation from his preferred jeans and jacket, 35-year-old Koda wore a white safari suit to take the oath.

Mr Kamlesh Singh, Mr Enos Ekka and Mr Harinarayan Rai were sworn-in as ministers after him.

Significantly, all the four who took the oath had withdrawn their support from the erstwhile Arjun Munda-led NDA dispensation reducing the 18-month-old government to a minority.

Prominent among those present at the swearing-in were Coal Minister and chairman of UPA's co-ordination committee in Jharkhand Sibu Soren, Union Food Processing Minister Subodh Kant Sahay, Mr Koda's immediate predecessor Arjun Munda, former Speaker Inder Singh Namdhari and former Deputy Chief Minister Stephen Marandi.

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