BJP gives ultimatum, Congress decries

Ranchi, Aug 21 (UNI) The BJP today a gave 24-hour ultimatum to Jharkhand Assembly Speaker Alamgir Alam to take final decision on the membership of five suspended party MLAs facing anti-defection charges.

A party delegation called on Mr Alam and requested him to take a final decision in this regard.

Five MLAs- Vishnu Bhaiya, Manohar Tekriwal, Kunti Singh, Pradeep Yadav and Ravindra Rai- were suspended from BJP because of their proximity with the former Chief Minister and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajantrati) president Babulal Marandi.

Significantly, two among them- Mr Bhaiya and Mr Tekriwal-- have shifted their loyalty to Jharkhand Mukti Morcha president Shibu Soren who has waged a war against Chief Minister Madhu Koda in a bid to take the reisn.

On August 13 Jharkhand High Court had served notices to five independent MLAs (all ministers) including Deputy CM Stephen Marandi, Enos Ekka, Kamlesh Singh, Chandra Prakash Choudhary and Bhanu Pratap Shahi after hearing a Public Interest Litigation seeking the Court's intervention in resolving the anti-defection cases pending against them before Jharkhand Assembly Speaker Alamgir Alam.

Meanwhile, Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee objected to BJP's ultimatum saying it might help them join the JMM camp.

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