Shahi induction continues to dog ruling UPA in J'khand

Ranchi, Feb 17 (UNI) The induction of controversial and suspended Forward Bloc MLA Bhanu Pratap Shahi in the five-month-old Madhu Koda government continued to trouble the ruling UPA raising speculation of fresh political turmoil in Jharkhand.

The Koda government, with a wafer thin majority in the 82-member house has been dogged by inner squabbles since it came to power in September last, but the latest move to make Mr Shahi the new Health Minister last week added fuel to the unrest when the FB wihtdrew support from the government.

Adding more to the political turmoil, Oppositon JD(U) president Jaleswar Mahto recently called on jailed Jharkhand Mukti Morcha president Sibu Soren at Dumka jail.

The meeting assumed significance as JD (U) national president Sharad Yadav also had met Soren when he was lodged in Tihar jail in Delhi last year.

Though the meeting was termed as ''courtesy call'', the JD(U), the trusted ally of NDA, immediately aired that it would field its candidate in the byelection to Palamu parliamentary seat despite BJP's direction to party workers to prepare for the by-poll.

Mr Mahto, when asked about the meeting with the JMM president at the jail, described it as a ''courtesy call,'' but senior leader from both sides did not rule out an understanding in the backdrop of the present unrest in the ruling dispensation.

The inability of the Chief Minister to appoint chairman of board and corporation chairman even after five months under the pressure from coaliton partners-Congress, JMM, RJD has-already sent a wrong signal, a senior Congress leader said.

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