4 ministers inducted in Jharkhand govt

Ranchi: Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda on Sunday inducted four new ministers in his Cabinet taking the total strength of the ministry to eight.

The new ministers are Bandhu Tirkey, Joba Manjhi (both from United Goa Democratic Party), Sudhir Mahto and Nalin Soren, who are both from Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM).

As per the amended rules, the 82-member Jharkhand Assembly can have a maximum of 12 ministers, including the Chief Minister.

Sources in the UPA said a second expansion would be taken up soon to bring the curtains down in the three-week high-voltage political drama that witnessed the fall of the BJP-led NDA government, which ruled the state since its inception on November 15, 2000 except for nine days when Shibu Soren donned the chief minister's hat.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) had, on Saturday, announced its outside support to the Koda government, while the Congress would take a decision on the matter within a day or two.

"The Congress has asked for the Speaker's post and we will take a decision in a day or two about joining the ministry," Jharkhand PCC president and officiating speaker Pradeep Kumar Balmachu said.

Koda had won the trust vote on September 20 after taking oath as Chief Minister on September 18.

Kamlesh Singh, Enos Ekka and Harinarain Rai, who along with Koda had deserted Arjun Munda to push his government over the brink to minority, had also taken their oath then.

Koda, his cabinet colleagues and a hoast of other political leaders were present during the swearing-in.