Cong to fight next Assembly poll independently : Balmuchu

Chatra, Jan 17 (UNI) Dissatisfied with the functioning of the UPA- backed Madhu Koda government of Jharkhand, the Congress today said the party would contest the next Assembly polls independently.

Talking to reporters here, Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee (JPCC) president Pradeep Kumar Balmuchu said tenure of the ultimatum given to the Madhu Koda-government had been completed but the party was not satisfied with the government's working.

Mr Balmuchu was here to join former RJD leader Yogendra Baitha, who filed his nomination for the February four byelection to Simaria Assembly seat after his party refused ticket to him.

To a query, Mr Balmuchu said there was no threat over unity of UPA partners after fielding separate party candidate as there was no pact with the Left party in the state.

Other UPA allies, including RJD, JMM and CPI(M), had announced to support CPI candidate Ramchandra Ram in the bypoll.

Meanwhile, former Union Minister Yashwant Sinha, also in the district, claimed that the BJP would be benefited by a sympathy wave as son of former Simaria MLA Upendranath Das was in the fray as party candidate.

The bypoll was necessitated following death of Mr Das.

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