NEW DELHI, 20 March 2005 — Continuing its campaign against the Arjun Munda-led National Democratic Alliance government in Jharkhand, a delegation of United Progressive Alliance, led by Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader Shibu Soren, yesterday met Congress President Sonia Gandhi and pressed for the dismissal of the government in Jharkhand.

The delegation also sought a CBI inquiry into alleged horse-trading that led to the formation of the NDA government.

Asked about Sonia’s response to their demand, Soren said she heard them patiently. He added that Sonia said since there was a government in the state, the UPA legislators should monitor its functioning and expose it wherever it faltered.

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

On the alliance’s strategy in Jharkhand, Sahai said the allies would be meeting shortly to decide on a plan. The alliance could approach the judiciary or plan a statewide agitation to apprise people of the activities of the NDA leaders in forming the government.

Claiming that they “enjoy the numbers to form the government”, Sahai said the political situation was very fluid in the state after the issue of notices to Enos Ekka and NCP MLA Kamlesh Singh avoiding taking oath on health grounds.

On Friday, the delegation met President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Home Minister Shivraj Patil.

Meanwhile, the Congress party has expelled 18 senior leaders in Bihar from the party. They have been shown the door for violating party directives by contesting the February assembly elections as independent candidates or on symbols of other political parties.

Bihar Congress President Ram Jatan Sinha expelled them from the party for six years for anti-party activities, party spokesman Prem Chandra Mishra said yesterday.

He said the disciplinary action was taken following complaints by Congress allies and official party candidates. Among the party leaders who have been expelled are Ramdev Rai, Ramashray Prasad Singh, Awadesh Kumar Singh, Kumud Ranjan Jha, Pramod Kumar Sharma, Dilip Kumar Sinha, Raghunandan Manjhi and Ajay Kumar Gupta.