Jharkhand MLAs brought to Kerala ahead of crucial confidence vote

Alappuzha, Sep 9 (UNI) With the embattled NDA government, led by Arjun Munda, seeking a vote of confidence in the Jharkhand Assembly next week, a group of the state's MLAs has been put up in a tourist resort in this Kerala district.

Talking to reporters at the Punnamada backwaters resort here, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLA Uday Shankar declared that Mr Munda will be defeated on the floor of the house and a new UPA-backed government, led by independent MLA and former minister Madhu Koda, will take over.

Describing the Arjun Munda government as ''communal'', Mr Shankar claimed that Mr Koda has the support of 48 members in the 82-member assembly.

All political decisions concerning the new government will be collectively taken by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and leaders of the Left parties, he added.

The Jharkhand MLAs are slated to leave Alappuzha tomorrow morning.

Since this morning, there were reports that nearly a dozen Jharkhand MLAs had been put up in a backwaters resort here ahead of the crucial assembly session starting in Ranchi, Jharkhand, on September 14.

As mediapersons camped outside the resort, after a long time some of the MLAs agreed to meet them. However, finally only Mr Uday Shankar met the press persons.

It was said that a Mumbai-based travel agency had brought the MLAs here. Most of the MLAs are reported to be of the RJD.

Jharkhand Governor Syed Sibtey Razi had on September six asked Chief Minister Arjun Munda to prove his majority in the Assembly by September 14 after the fragile 18-month-old BJP-led NDA government was reduced to a minority following the resignation of four Ministers.

The four ministers -- Madhu Koda, Hari Narain Rai, Kamlesh Singh and Anos Ekka -- had resigned from the government on September five and demanded that the Munda government should be dismissed as it did not enjoy majority any more.

Mr Munda had asked the Governor for an opportunity to prove his majority on the floor of the House.

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