Cong to talk to allies before deciding on Koda's fate: Maken

Dhanbad, Jan 11 (UNI) Climbing down from its tough stand, the Congress tonight said the party would decide on withdrawal of support to the 16-month-old UPA-backed Madhu Koda government in Jharkhand only after ''having dialogue'' with other coalition allies.

Announcing this at a news conference after the party's much-hyped 'sankalp rally' here, CWC member and in-charge of the state Ajay Maken said the Congress would talk to Rashtriya Janata Dal and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) before taking a final decision on the issue.

The party's latest stand assumed significance as UPA steering committee chairman and JMM president Sibu Soren earlier today pointed out that the Congress, which gave a two-month ultimatum to the government, should not forget the ethics of coalition politics.

The JMM president said the Congress alone could not take a decision of withdrawing support to the government as it should take into confidence other allies like his party and the RJD in this regard.

Mr Maken said he had submitted a memorandum with 19-point demand to the Chief Minister on November 15 in which the party had set deadline of 60 days to the government to implement them within the stipulated time or ''perish''.

''I am going to give a set of questionnaire to party cadres which would be returned to me by January after filling up,'' Mr Maken said adding ''from that we would assess the performance level of the government.'' ''I have also come to know that the Chief Minster was preparing a progress report,'' he said.

After scrutinising the feed back from party colleagues and the progress report of the Chief Minister, ''we will take a decision'', he said.

Mr Maken also made it clear that any decision on withdrawal of support would be taken only after January 15, after the expiry of the deadline.

UNI PRS ADG SB AS2155