Saturday, January 22 2005 16:53 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Hazaribag: Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda today (Jan 22, 2005) claimed bickering among the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) partners even before the beginning of Assembly elections was a pointer to their inability to provide a stable Government in the State.

"The continuing differences among the UPA partners which led to the failure of seat adjustment has proved the UPA cannot provide a stable Government," Munda told newsmen in Hazaribag.

"It can neither deliver goods to the people of Jharkhand nor can develop the State as the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party)-led NDA (National Democratic Alliance) Government has done during its four years rule," Munda added.

He also said multi-cornered contests would help the BJP-JDU (Janata Dal United) combine.

Replying to a query as to whether the killing of CPI-ML (Communist Party of India-Marxist-Leninist)-Liberation MLA Mahendra Prasad Singh would affect the ensuing elections, Munda said all district administrations had been directed to tighten security and provide security to all candidates.

He also appealed to the parties not politicise the issue.

The top leadership of the CPI-ML (Liberation) has been alleging that the killing of its leader was politically motivated.

Later today, Arjun Munda filed his nomination papers from Kharsawan Assembly constituency.

A two-time winner from the constituency, Munda filed his documents in two sets before returning officer Gundur Oraon at the headquarters in Sareikela.

Kharsawan is among the 29 constituencies going for polls in the second phase polling scheduled on February 15.

Munda, who won the seat in 1995 on a JMM (Jharkhand Mukti Morcha) ticket and retained it in the 2000 Assembly elections after joining the BJP, had defeated former Congress MP Bijoy Singh Soy on both the occasions.

The Congress is likely to field the widow of Soy, who had been gunned down at Chakradharpur five years ago, from Kharsawan.