Monday, March 7 2005 11:04 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kolkata: The Forward Bloc (FB), supporting the Shibu Soren Government in Jharkhand from outside yesterday (Mar 6, 2005) night, dismissed reports that one of its two MLAs was considering to support the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

"Our party MLA from Bhavanathpur, Bhanu Pratap Dehati, continues to be with our party and with the decision of the party to support the Shibu Soren Government. All sorts of rumours are being floated by NDA and vested quarters regarding him and the party's stand which has no basis," veteran Forward Bloc leader Ashok Ghosh said in Kolkata.

"A short while ago, I had a talk with the father of MLA over telephone. He also confirmed that his son is with the party and would abide by the party decision. The father of 27-year-old Bhanu, who is an ex-MLA also told me that he had sent his son to his village home at Bhavanthpur," Ghosh said.

The FB leader said that his party had already given a letter of support to Shibu Soren Government in the State.

Ghosh, who is the general secretary of the party's West Bengal unit said that the FB's central secretariat would meet at Ranchi for two days on March 10 and 11, where the party would decide, whether it would join Shibu Soren Government or not.

He said that the party's all India general secretary Debabrata Biswas, who is now in China would return to India on March 9. He would reach Ranchi on March 10 to attend the Central secretariat meeting, Ghosh said.

The Shibu Soren Government would face a trial of strength in the Assembly on March 15.