By IANS,
New Delhi: With the first phase of Jharkhand assembly polls less than a fortnight away, the war of words between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress over the alleged corruption by former chief minister Madhu Koda has intensified.
While BJP MP Prabhat Jha has written a letter to the President Pratibha Patil demanding that Koda should be asked to reveal names of all those involved in corruption, the Congress alleged that BJP had made corruption “its work-culture” since it formed the first government in the state and removed an honest leader like Babulal Marandi from the chief minister’s post.
In his letter to the president, Jha said the deeds of Koda, who was supported in government formation by the Congress, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), have now come out before the people of the state.
He said the episode had brought a bad name to Jharkhand.
The MP said that the threat given by Koda to expose everyone was a clear indication that highly placed people were involved in the massive corruption and demanded he be provided adequate security.
Referring to Koda’s complaint of difficulties faced by him, Jha said steps should be taken to see that he is safe, “All of us know that 13 of 15 witnesses in Bihar’s fodder scam are no more,” he said.
The BJP leader said that those behind the loot in Jharkhand could resort to violence to prevent their names from being revealed.
Responding to BJP’s allegations, Congress leader Mohan Prakash alleged that the former had removed Marandi as chief minister in Jharkhand so that it could indulge in loot of government funds.
The Congress is fighting polls in the state in alliance with Marandi’s Jharkhand Vikas Morcha.