Ruling party MLAs cornered the government over a Rs 100 crore embezzlement scam in Jharkhand’s Drinking Water and Sanitation Department. Opposition legislators also joined them, demanding accountability. Minister-incharge Yogendra Prasad assured the House of a departmental enquiry, promising a report within seven days. However, ruling JMM MLA Stephen Marandi and Congress MLA Rameshwar Oraon rejected the assurance, alleging deliberate delays in taking action. The Speaker postponed further discussion until the next session of the Assembly on March 5. The BJP MLAs staged a walkout from the Jharkshand Assembly during a debate on the state budget alleging bias against the Opposition. They demanded an FIR against Chief Engineer Prabhat Kumar Singh, Executive Engineer Chandrashekhar, and other officials. They also accused the Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahato of favouring the ruling party. \”The Speaker is running the House arbitrarily,\” said senior BJP leader and former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi.
