By IANS,
Ranchi : Jharkhand Governor Syed Sibte Razi Monday summoned Chief Minister Madhu Koda as he has refused to resign despite the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) withdrawing support to his government.
Koda maintains that the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the centre has not asked him to step down.
“The UPA formed the government and I was made chief minister of Jharkhand. I have not received any direction from central UPA leaders so why should I resign?” the chief minister said.
Razi has summoned Koda to the governor’s house at 3 p.m. He is likely to ask Koda to either prove his majority on the floor of the house or tender his resignation.
The JMM withdrew support from 23-month-old Koda government Sunday evening, reducing it to a minority. In the 82-member house, Koda now enjoys the support of only 25 legislators.
Koda, an independent legislator, became chief minister with the support of the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), both part of the UPA, and smaller parties as well as other independents.
The JMM supported the Koda government in 2006 after four independent, unattached legislators who were also ministers withdrew their support to the NDA government headed by Arjun Munda of the BJP.
Koda, one of the independent ministers who pulled down the Munda government, became the chief minister and Soren was made chairperson of state UPA steering committee.
Soren, who became the chief minister for nine days after the assembly elections in 2005, nursed a dream of returning to the post. Last Tuesday, he staked his claim but Koda refused to step down.
Soren secured the backing of the Congress after supporting the Manmohan Singh government in the crucial parliament trust vote of July 22.