Jamshedpur, Jan. 5: Confidence and wit has been the forte of chief minister Arjun Munda.

He lived up to these traits this morning during one of his longest interactions with the city?s mediapersons ever since he became the chief minister in 2003.

When he did not speak to the press yesterday, after his arrival in the city for a two-day programme, there were whispers among a section of the press. Some said he was avoiding the press following the firing incident at Kalinganagar in Orissa, where over a dozen people were killed.

But today he volunteered to speak to the media without any fuss.

Dressed in a spotless white kurta and pyjama, Munda spent nearly an hour with scribes soon after inaugurating the new district information centre near the premises of the old district court.

The first query that he faced from the scribes was about an allegation that Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand governments were awarding contracts to a person who is reportedly close to a top national BJP leader.

?Where did you read this? Can you furnish me a copy of that article so that I, too, can read it before replying to your query?? Munda shot back, with a smile to ensure that there were no more ?awkward? questions on this issue.

Even before the scribes could complete their queries on his reaction on the Orissa firing incident, Munda was candid enough to admit that the incident was a sad one.

He also made it clear in a firm voice that the incident would not deter his government?s determination. His message was loud and clear to his detractors ? the Orrisa incident would not derail his plans to industrialise the state.

So engrossed was the chief minister in the interactions that when an orderly came to him with snacks he curtly told him to go away.

On the controversial Chiriya mines issue, out came a one-liner from Munda. ?We are seeking legal opinion before taking the next course of action.?

Apparently the chief minister was not willing to disclose whether his next move would be to take hold of the Chiyira mines.

A district official present at the event said: ?Munda seldom shows any signs of nervousness and this was obvious from how he handled the Orissa incident.?

The most interesting moment of the conference came when a scribe asked him who is Hanuman in BJP. ?BJP mein Hanuman ka anuman lahana muskil hai. Isliye kuch kahna muskil hail. (It?s difficult to predict who the Hanuman in BJP is),? retorted Munda.

Meanwhile, continuing his inauguration spree, the chief minister today opened the state?s second district information centre in Jamshedpur opposite the office of the Dhalbhum subdivisional officer. The first district information centre at Dumka was inaugurated some time ago.

After inaugurating the centre, Munda said the information centre was a step towards achieving good governance and the public could get vital information regarding the government?s development work from here.

The government?s portal, he added, should be operational by March.