Wednesday, May 11 2005 08:42 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: United Progressive Alliance (UPA) leaders from Jharkhand yesterday (May 10, 2005) met President A P J Abdul Kalam and demanded a CBI inquiry into the alleged "horse-trading" committed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) coalition to install Arjun Munda Government in the State.

"All the MPs and the MLAs of UPA from Jharkhand, who were in the capital met the President and demanded independent probe into the large scale use of money to install the BJP-led Government in the State," UPA sources said last night.

Sources said the President gave patient hearing to the delegation, which among others included Jharkhand Mukthi Morcha (JMM) chief Sibu Soren, Union Minister Subodh Kant Sahay and State Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Sushila Karketta.

It submitted a memorandum giving "ample documentary proof" as to how the "illegal" means were used during the entire election process by the NDA, they said.

"We told the President that not only money and muscle power was used but also they (NDA) took help of naxalites to grab power," they said.

Earlier in the day, the delegation met UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and sought her intervention in ordering a CBI inquiry into the "manner and method" in which the BJP-led NDA Government was installed in the State.

"We, the legislators of UPA, demand and seek immediate intervention by way of ordering a thorough inquiry into the manner and method through which this unpopular Government propped up...We propose that this inquiry should be entrusted to CBI," a memorandum submitted by the delegation, said.

The delegation consisted of 25 MLAs and 14 MPs.

Both Sahai and Soren told reporters after the meeting that the findings of the inquiry should be made public and the guilty booked so that the "sanctity and legitimacy" of democracy and democratic institutions were safeguarded.