Saturday, September 23 2006 11:34 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Jamshedpur: Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda today said mid-term assembly poll was inevitable in the state, which saw a change of guard very recently with Madhu Koda donning the mantle.

"Munda, who called upon BJP workers to be prepared for mid-term poll in Jharkhand which was inevitable," said the reception accorded to him at a function in the steel city this evening "bore testimony that the NDA will bounce back to power.

"Lambasting the UPA government for strangulating people's mandate by toppling his government early this month," Munda turned his ire towards main UPA partner Congress. Congress, he alleged, played a 'behind the scene role' in dislodging his his government.

"But this attitude is nothing new, being played (by Congress) for years," he commented.

Recalling the events, he said the UPA intention to topple his Government had come to fore when the JMM supremo Sibu Soren was invited by Jharkhand Governor S S Razi despite the BJP having emerged as the single largest party following the last state assembly polls.

Munda, who came here to attend a family function, was dethroned after Madhu Koda along with three others withdrew support on September five.

Koda was sworn-in as chief minister on September 18.