By IANS,
Ranchi : It is his daily yoga practice that keeps him fit and cool-headed enough to run a coalition government despite being an independent legislator, Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda said Monday.
“Yoga is the mantra to run a coalition government. Running a coalition government is not an easy task. I practice yoga daily, which keeps me fit and cool,” Koda told reporters here.
Koda has registered his name in the Limca book of records for running a government for more than a year despite being an independent legislator. He is now aiming for the Guinness World Records.
Koda took charge in September 2006 by ousting the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government headed by Arjun Munda. He has been successful in running the government for the last 20 months.
His key allies are the Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM). The Congress on a few occasions has threatened to pull down the government.
Koda started his career as a member of the Sangh Parivar and won an assembly election for the first time on a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket in 2000. In 2005, the BJP denied him a ticket and he fought the election as an independent candidate and won. He became a minister in the NDA government headed by Arjun Munda in 2005 and pulled it down with the support of three other independent legislators.
Koda wants his legislators and ministers to practice yoga. “I suggest that ministers and legislators practice yoga. Yoga gives strength and energy,” he enthused.