Thursday, March 17 2005 12:09 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Ranchi: Stepping up pressure on the Arjun Munda-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government in Jharkhand, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) supremo and former Chief Minister Shibu Soren is leaving for Delhi today (Mar 17, 2005) to meet President A P J Abdul Kalam and demand dismissal of the Munda Government.

"Guru-ji (Soren) is leaving for Delhi today by a regular service flight. The President has given him an appointment tomorrow (Mar 18, 2005)," RJD State unit chief Girinath Singh, said.

Singh, who was Parliamentary Affairs Minister in the nine day-old Soren Government, said that a United Progressive Alliance (UPA) delegation, including alliance coordinator Stephen Marandi, has already left for Delhi yesterday (Mar 16, 2005) by train.

"During their meeting with the President, the team will apprise him of how the NDA usurped power in the State by horse-trading and engineering defections," Singh said.

Asked whether the delegation would demand the dismissal of the Munda Government, Singh said, "Certainly. Who would not want the dismissal of a Government that came to power in an undemocratic manner?"

Last week, Governor Syed Sibtey Razi, invited Munda to form the Government after Soren submitted his resignation.

Munda sailed through the vote of confidence on March 15 with the support of 40 MLAs as three UPA members - Joba Manjhi (UGDP), Sukh Ram Oraon (JMM) and Kamlesh Singh (NCP) - did not turn up on the occasion.