Saturday, March 19 2005 13:26 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: United Progressive Alliance (UPA) delegation led by Jharkhand Mukthi Morcha (JMM) leader Shibu Soren today (Mar 19, 2005) met Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

Continuing its campaign against the Arjun Munda Government, the UPA delegation led by JMM leader Shibu Soren today met Congress President Sonia Gandhi to press its demand for dismissal of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government in Jharkhand and for a CBI probe into alleged horse-trading that led to its formation.

"Sonia is the Chairperson of the UPA. We apprised her how the Arjun Munda headed NDA Government came into being and sought its dismissal and a CBI probe into all the irregularities," Soren told reporters after meeting Sonia at her Parliament House Office.

Asked about Congress president's response to their demand, Soren said that Sonia heard them patiently and told them that since there was a Government in the State, UPA leaders should keep a strict watch on its functioning and expose it wherever it faltered.

Senior Congress leader and Union Minister Subodh Kant Sahai, former Deputy Chief Minister Stephen Marandi were also a part of the delegation.

On UPA's strategy in Jharkhand, Sahai said allies would be meeting shortly to chalk out their future plan, which also included approaching judiciary as also a State-wide agitation to apprise people about the activities of the NDA leaders in State and the Centre in forming the Government.

Claiming that they "enjoy the numbers to form the Government," he said political situation was very fluid in the State following notice being issued to Enos Ekka and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA Kamlesh Singh avoiding taking oath on health grounds.

The delegation yesterday (Mar 18, 2005) met President A P J Abdul Kalam, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Home Minister Shivraj Patil.