But Koda and Speaker Alamgir Khan are working overtime to acquire about 88 acres of prime, evergreen farm land from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to build bungalows for not only themselves but for over 100 politicians, including all current legislators — 82 MLAs and 20 MPs.

In 2004-05, these legislators got together to register a society, the Vidhayak Evam Sansad Griha Nirman Swawlambi Sahkari Samiti Ltd, and CM Koda, an Independent MLA backed by UPA’s 43 MLAs, has cleared the decks for the land transfer as part of 288 acres he wants from ICAR for “development of the capital of the newly created state.”

The sprawling plot, right along the key Ranchi-Jamshedpur highway, is at present home to Farm Number 2 of ICAR’s Horticulture and Agro Forestry Research Programme (HARP) — under the Union Agriculture Ministry — and has priceless 189 varieties and 30 hybrids of mango trees, 50 and 40 varieties of litchi and guava respectively.

ICAR had planned to upgrade HARP as the Central Institute of Horticulture at a cost of Rs 43 crore. HARP preserves diversified germplasms of these fruits nurtured for research for over 25 years.

Sources said an earlier attempt to acquire this land during the NDA’s rule in the state was thwarted because of legalities involved — the land was leased to HARP in 1976.

As per Koda’s plan, the farm will be home to private bungalows on plots individually estimated at Rs 1 crore as per current market rates. “Since 115 sitting and ex-MLAs contributed Rs 75,000 each to the samiti three years ago, I told everybody to either allot land or return the money to them. The state Revenue Ministry selected this land,” Speaker Alam told The Indian Express.

In fact, records show that soon after Alam held a meeting with state government officials last month, on September 25, Secretary (Revenue) Vishnu Kumar sent a a letter to the Ranchi Deputy Commissioner directing him to start the paperwork for transferring the title of the land to the government.

That strings are being pulled is acknowledged openly. State Land Revenue Minister Dulal Bhuian told The Indian Express: “Considering the fact that at the centre it is our coalition (UPA) which is in power and even at the state level it is the same coalition that is in power, so, we expect that the proposal by the Jharkhand government for the piece of land will be accepted soon.”

Says society’s secretary, BJP MLA Chandreshwar Prasad Singh: “What’s wrong with the plan? The land we want is not being productively used. So the government needs to acquire 288 acres and give 88 acres to our society.”

Says ICAR Principal Scientist Sivendra Kumar: “We have informed the authorities concerned of the decision of the state government.”