By IANS
Ranchi : The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) thumping victory in Gujarat has had an unexpected fallout on the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in Jharkhand headed by Madhu Koda.
With the Congress on the backfoot after Narendra Modi’s win, Koda has got a reprieve. The Congress had given Koda, an independent catapulted to the chief minister’s post, time till Jan 15 to improve his government’s functioning.
But it is now unlikely to act on its threat. Party leaders are apprehensive that the BJP may benefit if it pushes the state towards an early poll.
“Instead of serving an ultimatum, the party should have pulled down the government. By pulling down the government in November – when the ultimatum was given – the party would have gained in the state,” said a Congress leader.
“Now on what issue will we pull down the government? Koda is trying to perform and the BJP is gaining ground in the state,” he added.
On the record, however, the party is projecting a different view.
“The Gujarat poll does not change our stand. After Jan 15, we will review the performance of the government and take a suitable decision. After our ultimatum, the functioning of the Koda government has improved,” said Pradeep Kumar Balmuchu, the state Congress president.
The Congress faces criticism too.
“The Congress wants to enjoy power but it doesn’t want to face the anger of the people either,” said former chief minister and BJP leader Arjun Munda.
The BJP had brought a no-confidence motion in the winter session.
Besides the Congress, which has nine legislators, the other two key partners in the Koda government are the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), with 17 members in the 82-strong assembly, and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) with seven members.
The Koda government was formed in September 2006 by toppling the NDA regime headed by Arjun Munda. While the Congress and RJD support the government from outside, the JMM has three ministers. All the nine independents who support the government are ministers.