No threat to UPA govt during budget session, Mahto

Ranchi, Feb 10 (UNI) The withdrawal of support by the Forward Bloc from the five-month-old Madhu Koda government will not cause any threat to the ruling dispensation during month-long budget session beginning early next month in Jharkhand, Deputy Chief Minister Sudhir Mahto claimed today.

Talking to UNI over phone from Jaipur, Mr Mahto said the government would prove its majority in the house if required.

Mr Mahto said the strength of BJP, the major ally of the opposition NDA was reduced to 25 after suspension of five-party MLAs.

The BJP suspended its five MLAs for anti-party activities.

Mr Mahto said Bhanu Pratap Shahi, the new Health Minister, one of the two FB Legislators though suspended from the party was still with the state government.

With the withdrawal of support, the ruling UPA was reduced to 41 comprising JMM(17), Cong(9), including the Speaker, RJD (7), UGDP(2), NCP (1) and Independent (5).

The NDA stood at 38 with BJP-30, JD(U)-6, AJSU-1 and one nominated member. The lone-membered CPI(ML) already said it would vote against the Koda government.

Asked whether the suspended BJP MLAs would vote against their party whip, the deputy CM said there was no fear of whip for the suspended MLAs.

The FB withdrew its support from the government after the ''controversial'' party MLA from Bhanu Pratap Shahi was inducted into the Madhu Koda-led UPA goverment on February 8, eight hours within Health Minister Lal Hemendra Dehati and father of Bhanu Pratap, resigned from the Koda government.

The Forward Bloc Legislator from Bhawnathpur in Garwah district on two occasions earlier was not allowed by the Governor to take oath as he was facing arrest warrant in an SC/ST atrocity act.

As Mr Shahi was put behind bars, his father, not even an MLA, was made Health Minister in the Koda government.

The FB maintained that Mr Shahi was only suspended but not expelled and hence he was still bound by the party whip in terms of not taking active part in the UPA government.

UNI