RANCHI: No matter how hard the Congress may try to downplay it, Madhu Koda’s tainted tenure is hogging all the limelight this election with the Janata Dal (United) taking up where ally BJP left, promising today to set up a judicial commission to probe the former chief minister’s illegal assets allegedly worth over Rs 2,000 crore.

Accusing the Congress of playing a “double game” by trying to distance itself from the Koda affair for political gain, the JD(U)’s Jharkhand in-charge, Bhim Singh, said the commission would be headed by a sitting high court or Supreme Court judge.

On the one hand, he said, Congress leaders were claiming they had no clue about Koda’s alleged misdeeds, while on the other hand Ajay Maken, the party’s former Jharkhand affairs in-charge, had labelled his government corrupt and demanded its dismissal.

Singh alleged that Raj Bhavan, too, became one of the epicentres of corruption during UPA rule and added that only the NDA could provide a stable government in the state.

“It is questionable how Koda has been let off without an FIR against him. He is moving around freely despite facing such serious charges. If voted to power, we will definitely order a judicial inquiry. We believe Congress leaders were the biggest beneficiaries of the Koda rule,” Singh said.

The JD(U), which plans to release its poll manifesto on Thursday, is, however, grappling with problems of its own. Set to contest 14 Assembly constituencies as per a seat sharing arrangement with the BJP, party rebels have queered the pitch in at least half a dozen seats.

And although Singh claimed loudly that the rebels would be expelled, party sources maintained the problem was acute. Even state party president Jaleshwar Mahto was facing rough weather in Baghmara because of a rebellion within.

“Such revolts are but natural during elections. But cadres should realise the compulsions of coalition politics. Both JD(U) and BJP have learnt their lesson from past mistakes. The rebels may be treated as ‘expelled’ with immediate effect,” Singh added.

No wonder senior JD(U) and BJP leaders are paying special attention to the Baghmara seat.

In Deoghar, BJP rebels are making things uncomfortable for JD(U) sitting MLA Kameshwar Nath Das. In the Palamau region, too, JD(U) cadres have alleged they weren’t getting adequate support from the local BJP.

BJP president Rajnath Singh and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar will campaign in Jharkhand from Saturday.

JD(U) president Sharad Yadav will be accompanying senior BJP leader and leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha L.K. Advani during the campaign.