Rashtriya Janata Dal supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav on Wednesday claimed the support of 43 legislators in the 82-member Jharkhand Assembly and asserted that the United Progressive Alliance will provide a stable government.
Lalu paraded 37 MLAs at his residence in New Delhi and claimed the support of six others.
He said the UPA will provide a stable government in Jharkhand.
Jharkhand is in the midst of a political crisis after four ministers quit the Bharatiya Janata Party leader Arjun Munda-led government on September 5 and withdrew support to it.
Evading a direct reply as to who will be the new chief minister, Lalu said, "Madhu Koda has all my blessings."
On the absence of six MLAs, who he claimed were in the UPA, the railway minister said that they were busy with a bereaved Jharkhand Mukti Morcha MLA.
Lalu said that the 37 MLAs, who had a breakfast meeting at his residence, left for Ranchi in a chartered aircraft ahead of Thursday's crucial floor test.
The railway minister alleged horse-trading and said that all efforts of the National Democratic Alliance to cling to power will come a cropper. "The NDA balloon has already burst," he said.
Lalu also claimed that some more MLAs in the BJP and Janata Dal (United) camp were disgruntled and could switch over to the UPA at any time.
He said the UPA was never in favour of President's Rule and was for a secular government in the state after the Arjun Munda government plunged into minority following the resignation of four ministers.
Opposition leaders from Jharkhand, in a letter to Home Minister Shivraj Patil, alleged horse-trading in the state and urged him to take necessary action.
Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly Sudhir Mahato claimed that there was lawlessness in the state because of the political instability.
