Jamshedpur, Sept. 1: It?s destination Chicago this month for chief minister Arjun Munda.

Munda is keen to undertake his second foreign trip abroad, after being extended an invitation by the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), which is organising a three-day ?Focus India? show at Hotel Hilton at Chicago, the Windy City, from September 27 under the Indo-US business partnership programme.

The secretary-general of FICCI, Amit Mitra, met Munda over dinner yesterday at Delhi and extended an invitation for him to attend the event. The FICCI functionary has also solicited Jharkhand?s participation in that event.

The vice-chairman of the state planning board, Saryu Rai and the state industries secretary, S.K. Satpathy, were also present in the deliberations. FICCI is organising the event to show case the strengths of different states of the country vis-?-vis industries, availability of raw materials, auto components and other aspects to woo foreign investments.

The Union minister for commerce and industries, Kamal Nath, will inaugurate the show. ?I had a long discussion with Mitra. The event shall give us a rare opportunity to showcase strengths of our state to the West,? Munda told The Telegraph, adding that he has instructed the industries secretary to hold discussions with FICCI officials to find out whether it would be possible for the state to put up a pavilion in that show.

Many states including Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Uttaranchal, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh have already confirmed their participation.

?In fact Munda?s Madhya Pradesh counterpart, Babulal Gaur, would personally visit Chicago to take part in the programme. High level delegations from other states would be visiting Chicago for the event. Tamil Nadu?s chief minister Jayalalitha, would be addressing the local business community through video conferencing,? informed Rai.

Munda returned from his first three-nation overseas trip from Europe England, France and Switzerland on August 12.

Rai has already suggested to the chief minister that Jharkhand should take part in that show to get more international exposure.

?We are planning to set up a special economic zone for auto components. Chicago is known internationally for having good auto component units? observed Rai.

A section of Munda?s colleagues, however, said the political scenario at home made it volatile for Munda to travel abroad.

?It would be a risky proposition for him to visit Chicago,? said a minister in Munda?s cabinet, on condition of anonymity.