Koda asserts no threat to his government

Ranchi, Jan 11 (UNI) Brushing aside all speculations about the Congress' withdrawal of support to the UPA government in Jharkhand, Chief Minister Madhu Koda today asserted to complete his tenure in office.

Mr Koda on his return from a three-day tour of New Delhi, told reporters at the Birsa Munda Airport here that he neither called on UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi nor CWC member and in-charge of the state Ajay Maken in the national capital.

Replying to a volley of questions, the Chief Minister put up a brave countenance saying, ''there is no threat to the government''.

Coincidentally, state UPA steering committee chairman and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha president Sibu Soren, who happened to be at the airport, also aired the same view dispelling any crisis in the Koda Government.

Earlier, talking to UNI over phone, Mr Soren pointed out that the Congress, which gave a two-month ultimatum to the government, should not forget the ethics of coalition politics.

Mr Soren claimed that the government was able to achieve many targets in terms of development in the past two months.

The JMM president said the Congress could not alone take a decision of withdrawing support to the government as it should take into confidence other allies like his party and the RJD in this regard.

''The Congress as an individual party is free to make any remarks,'' Mr Soren said, adding there was no threat to the government.

To a specific query, Mr Soren denied any talk with RJD supremo Lalu Yadav or Congress leader Ajay Maken on the issue.

Meanwhile, the Congress, was holding a rally in Dhanbad today.

Mr Maken who was in Dhanbad, also made it clear that any decision on withdrawal of support would be taken only after January 15, when the deadline was over.

He said the speculation about the Congress' ''decision to withdraw only remains to be officially declared'' was absolutely media hype.

UNI TEAM AM-PRS KK PB BD1725