J'khand Governor to meet Independents; Advani protests

March 02, 2005

Jharkhand Governor Syed Sibtey Razi on Tuesday said he would meet all the 12 newly elected Independent legislators from Wednesday before taking a decision to invite any alliance to form the new Government.

"I will take a decision only after meeting all the 12 Independent candidates from tomorrow. It would not take much time," the Governor told reporters at Raj Bhavan in Ranchi.

The BJP-JD (U) combine, along with five Independents, earlier in the day met the Governor and submitted to him a list of 41 members on Tuesday, he said.

"Yesterday, I told both the alliances, who staked their claim, to approach me after electing leaders and list of supporters, but I never said to parade MLAs," he said.

"My responsibility is to ascertain the reality and after getting full satisfaction, I will invite that party which will be capable to prove its majority on the floor," he said.

In the meantime, BJP President LK Advani spoke to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh protesting the "delaying tactics" adopted by the Jharkhand Governor in inviting the NDA to form the Government.

In a telephonic conversation with the PM on Tuesday afternoon, Advani conveyed that the action of the Governor should be above board and that he should not be seen to be acting in a "partisan manner", party sources said.

After the NDA delegation met him claiming the support of 41 MLAs in the 81-member House, the Governor said that he would take a decision on Wednesday on inviting the alliance to form the Government only after convincing himself "in his own way" about their claim of having majority in the Assembly.