A day after Jharkhand Mukti Morcha withdrew support to his Government reducing it to a minority, Chief Minister Madhu Koda was asked by Governor Syed Sibtey Razi on Monday to prove his majority on the floor of the House on or before August 25.

Razi took the decision after Koda met him in the evening and sought time to undergo floor test to prove his majority. “He has been given a week. This is sufficient time for him to prove his claim,” Governor’s spokesperson S S Akhter told The Indian Express.

Anticipating withdrawal of support by the JMM’s 17 MLAs, the Koda Government had forwarded a proposal to the Governor to convene the monsoon session of the Assembly beginning September 28. In response, the office of the Governor on Saturday had issued a one-line notification to convene the session from September 19.

However, Razi withdrew the notification and set the deadline for Koda. “Even if the Congress, RJD and Independents came up in his favour, Koda will not be able to mobilise the magic figure required to prove the majority. He will be left with no option but to quit before the floor test,” said JMM secretary Madan Naik.

However, Koda, who presided a meeting of his Cabinet this afternoon, exuded confidence. “The game will be settled on the floor of the House. I have the majority and I will prove it,” said Koda.

Although five of the eight Independents — Deputy CM Stephen Marandi, Kamlesh Singh, Enos Ekka, Harinarain Rai and Chandra Prakash Choudhary - continued to back Koda, they seem to have changed their stance and indicated that their future course of action would depend on the decision arrived by the UPA leadership in New Delhi.