Munda begins 'sanketik shramdan' taking battle to Koda's home turf

Ranchi/Jamshedpur, Feb 22 (UNI) Taking the battle to Chief Minister Madhu Koda's home district, his predecessor Arjun Munda today offered 'sanketik (symbolic) shramdan' to construct the controversial Haatgamharia road, which proved to be a nemesis for the NDA government five months ago.

Mr Munda, backed by about 1500 BJP workers in the presence of other front rung state leaders, including Krishna Mardi and Laxman Tudu, gathered at Barajamda and started their construction work at 1230 hrs.

About 20 dumpers and ten dodgers were pressed into the much-hyped political stance by the former Chief Minister.

Mr Munda, in his brief speech before starting the shramdan, said his mission was aimed at highlighting the failure of the state government by raising the road issue besides seeking people's help in constructing the Haatgamharia-Noamundi-Baraiburu road in West Singhbhum.

Security was beefed up, particularly at Noamundi, where the authorities apprehended that inter-party fight might break out when the shramdan workers would reach the place.

The agitation was scheduled to culminate in Haatgamharia via Noamundi.

So far, no untoward incident was reported from any part of the town, police said.

In the middle of 2006, Mr Koda, then a senior minister in the Munda-led NDA government, protested the dilapidated state of Haatgamharia road, an issue that snowballed into a major crisis resulting in the formation of UPA government led by him in September last.

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