Former Jharkhand CM Madhu Koda joins Congress

Chaibasa, Nov 1: Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda joined Congress in presence of Congress state chief Dr. Ajoy Kumar on Thursday.

Koda was Chief Minister of Jharkhand from 2006 to 2008 (UPA alliance). He was sworn in as the fourth Chief Minister of Jharkhand on 14 September 2006, and remained in office until he resigned on 23 August 2008.

Koda was the third independent legislator to assume the office of chief minister of an Indian state, including Biswanath Das in Orissa in 1971 and S. F. Khonglam in Meghalaya in 2002.

His wife Geeta Koda, MLA from Jaganathpur in West Singhbhum district is among the six MLAs representing smaller regional parties led by Hemant Soren formed on 13 July 2013.

Koda was arrested by state police's vigilance wing on 30 November 2009 in connection with the mining scam. On 31 July 2013, he was released on bail from Birsa Munda Prison in Ranchi.