"Independent" Koda encouraging loot: Munda

Ranchi, Apr 17 (UNI) Leader of Opposition in Jharkhand Assembly Arjun Munda (BJP) today said he could not predict the future of Madhu Koda-led UPA government, but could only fortell that the future of the state was grim.

Mr Munda said Jharkand Mukti Morcha with highest number of legislators or any other parties--RJD or Congress--could have made Chief Minister from among them adding he failed to understand what prompted the UPA leadership to choose an Independent MLA for the top post in the state.

The former chief minister told UNI here that the Congress and RJD which were mainly instrumental in installing the Independent MLA at the helm of the affairs had no moral right to criticise him now.

He felt that the very process by the prominent UPA allies to install an Independent MLA as the CM was a ''ploy'' to pass the buck on the government and added that the people of the state had been cheated.

In an oblique referrence to a media report saying the Ministers, those of whom were Independent MLAs, were amassing huge properties, he said everybody was now watching how ''loot has been given the go ahead signal'' by Mr Koda.

Mr Munda wondered how could Jharkhand, once ahead of Bihar, was now lagging behind under the leadership of Mr Koda whereas the neighbouring state, led by Mr Nitish Kumar, was progressing on all fronts.

UNI