Jharkhand CM Munda meets BJP chief Gadkari

NAGPUR - Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda met BJP president Nitin Gadkari here on Sunday.

The closed-door meeting took place at Gadkari’s Mahal residence amid reports of a rift in the BJP over Munda being given a third term as Jharkhand Chief Minister.

Gadkari said: “The BJP had taken a consensual decision to lead a coalition government in Jharkhand, headed by Arjun Munda, and there were no differences within the party in this regard.”

“This decision will definitely prove to be good. It may be possible that people who could not form the government or those who are unhappy with the formation of the government may express their unhappiness …I don’t want to say anything about them. I take it with a positive approach,” he added.

He further said that the government in Jharkhand, along with its alliance partner would together bring landmark development for tribals.

Munda backed the central government’s operations against the Maoists.

“The work should be done with a holistic approach. The government should be strict with such elements (Maoists). At the same time the government of India should take the state forward in the direction of development. They should have a common approach to solve the problems of several states,” he said.

Munda became the eighth chief minister of Jharkhand on Saturday with the backing of JMM, AJSU, the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) and two independent legislators. (ANI)