BJP supporters in Jamshedpur?s Burmamines wait for chief minister Arjun Munda. Picture by Srinivas

Jamshedpur, May 21: Chief minister Arjun Munda today broke his silence on the allegations levelled by Babulal Marandi and accused his predecessor of handing down the legacy of corruption.

?The ministers against whom charges have been levelled were inherited by my government from the regime of Babulal Marandi,? Munda said soon after his arrival at the Sonari airport from Ranchi.

Marandi, after quitting his Lok Sabha seat (Koderma) and the primary membership of the party, had lashed out at the Munda administration, accusing it of ?encouraging corruption?.

Munda, who had so far been restrained in his defence, today tossed the ball to Delhi, saying the BJP?s central leadership will reply at an appropriate time. ?I have had a talk with the central leadership. They have been intimated of the allegations levelled against me and suitable answers are being prepared. The high command will give a suitable reply to all of them,? the chief minister said.

BJP sources in Delhi said party president Rajnath Singh is not in any mood to accommodate Marandi, though some leaders would prefer a reconciliation given that the government in Jharkhand is dependent on the support of five Independents.

Munda?s backers in the high command have pointed out that he still remains the BJP?s biggest vote-catcher in Jharkhand and any attempt to replace him could backfire.

This section got a boost today with thousands of BJP activists pouring into the Sonari airport to receive Munda, forcing the chief minister to say: ?The grand welcome extended to me shows that there is no rift within the party.?

That was precisely the message that the state also wanted to convey to the people. Sources revealed that the administration had been forewarned not to stop any BJP activist who wanted to make his or her way into the high-security airport.

Thousands of party workers had started assembling at the airport since morning with drums and other musical instruments to welcome Munda. As soon as he got off the helicopter, the crowd surged forward, jostling for space to garland the chief minister and shower petals on him.

Munda, who seemed relaxed, headed for the Sakchi where he was extended a grand welcome at several places by BJP and JD (U) activists, among them vice-president of the 15-point programme implementation committee, Amarpreet Singh ?Kale?, district BJP president Rambabu Tiwary and the BJP?s Burmamines unit president, Rajkumar Singh. ?We had been told from the top that a grand welcome should be extended to the chief minister for his homecoming after days of political ups and downs,? said Rajkumar Singh, who arranged for dhol-nagara, garlands and hundreds of supporters for the welcome.

The show of strength, the party activists claimed, was to reassure that they all have faith in Munda.