BJP cautions Congress and UPA against Jharkhand misadventure

New Delhi, Sep 5 (UNI) Alleging that the Congress and the UPA were upto one more 'misadventure' of destabilising the Arjun Munda government in Jharkhand, the BJP tonight issued a stern warning not to misuse the the Governor's post and said the issue of majority should be decided in the Assembly.

Briefing newspersons after a meeting of top BJP leaders at the residence of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu said the Centre and the UPA had earlier tried to install minority government headed by JMM leader Shibu Soren soon after the elections but had to beat a retreat after the intervention of the apex court and mounting pressure from public and the media.

The 18-month-old BJP-Janata Dal (United) coalition has survived on a wafer thin majority in an evenly placed 81-member House.

He said the Jharkhand BJP was of the opinion that the government still enjoyed the majority support of the MLAs notwithstanding the resignations of four ministers and the Central interference was not fair. Assembly was the right forum to test the strength if there was any doubt.

'' We believe that the destabilisation exercise is conspired, scripted and implemented by the Congress and the UPA leadership. We want to caution that their efforts will not succeed,'' he said.

The issue will naturally come up at the three-day National Executive commencing from September 7 at Dehra Dun, he added.

Asked if the party would effect change of leadership in the state to save the government, Mr Naidu said, ''No, Munda will continue.'' UNI MCN KD HT2212