Koda sworn in as Jharkhand CM, to seek trust vote on Sep 20

Ranchi, Sep 18 (UNI) UPA-backed Independent MLA Madhu Koda was today sworn in as the youngest ever Chief Minister of the country and would seek vote of confidence on September 20.

Three of his Ministerial colleagues - Mr Kamlesh Singh, Mr Enos Ekka and Mr Harinarayan Rai - instrumental in toppling the erstwhile Arjun Munda government, were also administered the oath of office and secrecy.

With this Mr Koda, the fourth Chief Minister of the state, touched another milestone in his relatively low profile political career when he became the third Independent MLA to attend the highest post after Mr 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.

The first ever Cabinet of the UPA government, headed by Mr Koda and attended by three Ministers, decided to seek the confidence in the House, adjourned sine die on September 14 after Mr Munda resigned without facing a floor test, on September 20.

The new Cabinet also recommended the name of state Congress president Pradeep Kumar Balmuchu to Governor Syed Sibtey Razi to appoint him as the officiating Speaker in the wake of Speaker Inder Singh Namdhari's resignation from the post on September 14.

Cabinet Secretary Aditya Swarup said as the posts of Speaker and Deputy Speaker were remaining vacant, the Governor could appoint anybody as officiating Speaker to conduct the affairs in the Assembly.

The one-day Koda Cabinet appointed Mr S.B.Garodia as the new Advocate General following the resignation of Mr A.K.Sinha from the post after the fall of the Munda governemnt.

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