Battling dissidence for months, the BJP’s coalition government in Jharkhand was tottering today after four ministers resigned and reduced the Arjun Munda government to a minority. This prompted the Opposition UPA to step up moves to oust the government.

Though Munda claimed he would prove his majority, the numbers stood against him: in a house of 81, the NDA strength dropped from 42 to 38 while the UPA claimed its numbers had risen from 39 to 43.

Ministers Madhu Koda, Enos Ekka, Harinarayan Rai (all Independents) faxed their resignation from New Delhi to Governor Syed Sibtey Razi, then flew to Ranchi with some UPA leaders on a chartered flight, picked up colleague Kamlesh Singh (NCP) from his home and met the Governor. They later flew back to New Delhi.

The Governor’s Principal Secretary Amit Khare told The Indian Express that Raj Bhavan had not taken any decision yet. “The constitutional and legal aspects are being examined,” Khare said.

Before he set out for Ranchi, Koda told The Indian Express from a Gurgaon guest house, where he was staying with Ekka and Rai, that he was “tipped to be the next Chief Minister”. Under the “formula” given to him by the Congress, Koda said “Independents will run the government” with “outside support of the Congress and JMM” while the RJD would join the government.

Senior lawyer and former Congress Rajya Sabha member from Jharkhand R K Anand has been the go-between. While the Congress maintained a studied silence, Ahmed Patel and Anand were in constant consultation with Koda and others. For the record, the party said: “We are waiting and watching”.

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