Koda says he is ready to prove majority

Ranchi, Aug 18 : Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda today said that he was ready to prove his majority on the floor after he met Governor Syed Sibtey Razi.

"The Governor asked me to keep his views with regard to the majority in the wake of JMM withdrawing support. I told him that despite withdrawal of support by JMM, I will prove my majority in the floor of the house," he said.

"The monsoon session (of the assembly) has already been convened (from September 19) and it is up to the Governor's conscience whether to cut down the time or extend it," Koda said when asked whether Razi has set any time frame for the trust vote.

Asked how he would muster the numbers after 17 JMM MLAs withdrew support to his government, Koda shot back: "How can I tell that now? It will be decided only in the house.

"I am confident of winning the majority and the game will be played in the house," he asserted.

Before meeting Razi, Koda had convened a cabinet meeting at the state secretariat. But Koda said there was no political discussion during the meeting.

"We discussed matters relating to the state's development and its people," he said.

The cabinet approved conversion of Ranka and Jaganathpur blocks into sub-division and creation of 36 new blocks at the meeting, he said.

Jharkhand appears heading for president's rule with the incumbent Madhu Koda government being reduced to a minority and JMM lacking the numbers to form the next government.

ANI