UPA will be under Koda's leadership: RJD

Ranchi, Sep 9 (UNI) A day after Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) supremo Sibu Soren's assertion that the issue of next Chief Minister in Jharkhand was still open, UPA's another ally, RJD, today came out with open support for Mr Madhu Koda to head the next Ministry.

Mr Koda is one of the four ministers who resigned from the BJP-led NDA government on September five, reducing it to a minority.

RJD leaders Girinath Singh and Udai Shankar Singh told UNI over phone from Kerala, the UPA was united and all the 43 MLAs in the 82-member House would vote against Mr Arjun Munda on September 14.

They also termed as baseless the reports of ''misunderstanding'' between Mr Koda and Mr Anos Ekka, another rebel MLA published in a section of local media today.

They said Mr Koda and Mr Ekka were keeping healthy relationship, adding the people from RSS were behind the curtains in spreading rumours.

The RJD said Mr Munda should resign keeping in view the emerging political development of the state.

They said in the last Assembly polls, the NDA got the mandate to sit in the Opposition bench but it managed to sit in the treasury bench.

Union Coal Minister Sibu Soren yesterday claimed the Opposition UPA has the majority in the 82-member Jharkhand Assembly but Congress chief Sonia Gandhi is expected to take a final decision on the Chief Ministerial candidate within a day or two.

Asserting that there was no race for the Chief Minister as Mr Koda's name was doing the rounds, Mr Soren said the UPA was all set to form the alternative government.

He did not clarify if he was a contender for the post, saying no decision was taken and there were many finer points that remained to be addressed before reaching unanimity.

The leadership issue in the UPA had kept the Central leadership on toes as heavyweights-- Mr Lalu Prasad (RJD) and Mr Soren (JMM)-- were trying to make their respective presence felt in the alternative government.

Political pundits here feel with the duo engaged in constant battle for supremacy in Bihar and Jharkhand politics, the ball was tactfully left to the UPA chairperson's court this time around.

With no strong and acceptable contender from both RJD and JMM emerging so far, Mr Koda might walk away with the crown.

UNI AM-PRS PC KD LS RAI2222