READY FOR THE TEST: Jharkand Governor Syed Sibtey Razi (left) welcoming Chief Minister Arjun Munda and other National Democratic Alliance leaders at his residence in Ranchi on Wednesday. — PHOTO: PTI

NEW DELHI/RANCHI: The Jharkhand Governor, Syed Sibtey Razi, on Wednesday gave Chief Minister Arjun Munda seven days to prove his Government's majority on the floor of the Assembly. Mr. Munda heads a Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance Government.

According to agency reports from the Jharkhand capital Ranchi, Mr. Munda, who met Mr. Razi in the morning, told the Governor that he was confident of proving the majority of his Government. Citing the Supreme Court judgment in the Bommai case, he sought an opportunity to do so on the floor of the House.

On Monday, Enos Ekka, Harinarain Rai and Madhu Koda, Independent MLAs holding ministerial berths, sent in their resignations to Mr. Munda and flew to New Delhi. They reportedly met some United Progressive Alliance leaders there, including Railway Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad. It soon became clear that efforts were on to form an alternative government in Jharkhand.

Matters came to a head on Tuesday when a fourth Minister — Kamlesh Singh of the Nationalist Congress Party — also resigned.

Reduced to a minority

Later in the evening, the four rebels met Mr. Razi in Ranchi, and conveyed that they were withdrawing support to the Government, which was thus reduced to a minority.

In a House of 81 plus one nominated member, the Government enjoyed the support of 43 MLAs when it took office 18 months ago. With Inder Singh Namdhari elected Speaker, it had the support of 42 MLAs, which rose to 43 when a member was nominated. The Opposition strength then stood at 38. But now, the Government enjoys the support of only 39 MLAs.

With the four Ministers making it clear that they are keen on setting up an alternative government, the Opposition's strength is likely to rise to 42.

A BJP leader said that at the party's core committee meeting on Tuesday, it was decided that Mr. Munda demand time for proving his majority on the floor of the Assembly.

Mr. Munda is not expected to go down without a fight, but the BJP has been weakened after the exit of Koderma MP Babulal Marandi, who openly charged the Government with taking corruption to new heights. The party fears desertions from within its ranks if the Government were to fall.

The Congress does not want to be seen as having participated in a toppling game. The party spokesperson has all along dismissed the developments as "an internal matter of the National Democratic Alliance." In fact, party sources suggested that even if an alternative government were to be formed, the Congress might provide outside support only.

Mr. Koda is reportedly making every effort to be accepted as the leader of an alternative government.

However, the Congress, with nine MLAs, has to take its alliance partners, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha JMM) with 17 MLAs and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (seven MLAs) along. Clearly, this group will also have to depend on the support of Independents and smaller parties with one or two MLAs.

JMM leader and Union Minister Shibu Soren has suggested that Mr. Munda step down instead of facing the ignominy of losing the test on the floor of the Assembly.

AIFB expels MLA

Special Correspondent writes from Kolkata:

The All-India Forward Bloc (AIFB), which expelled one of its two MLAs in Jharkhand for "violating the party code," has expressed its willingness to extend outside support to a Congress-led government.

The only condition it laid was that the government should be based on a common minimum programme, Ashok Ghosh, West Bengal general secretary of the party, said here on Wednesday.

MLA Bhanu Pratap Dehati was expelled on Tuesday "as he was engaging in horse-trading and hobnobbing with some Independent leaders in Delhi with the sole intention of getting a ministerial post in any government that might be set up in Jharkhand, now that the BJP-led Government has been reduced to a minority," Mr. Ghosh, a member of the AIFB central committee, told The Hindu .

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