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          Ranchi, Dec 11 : With more than 1,200 officials, a former   chief minister and three former ministers facing graft charges in Jharkhand,   political parties in the state have demanded that the government adopt the   formula of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to fight corruption. 
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	   Nitish Kumar Wednesday said it would be made mandatory that   each legislator, minister and official in Bihar should declare assets held every   year. 
 Jharkhand has of late earned a bad name due to prevailing   corruption. Former chief minister Madhu Koda, and three former ministers - Enos   Ekka, Harinarayan Rai and Kamlesh Singh are in jail in graft cases. Besides,   more than 1,200 officials are facing graft cases.
 
 The Bharatiya Janata   Party (BJP), which rules the state, has welcomed the Nitish government's   decision on asset declaration by public servants and political   leaders.
 
 "We welcome the Nitish Kumar government decision regarding   declaration of assets. In Jharkhand, the government should formulate a law   regarding declaration of assets every year and it should bring the panchayat   heads, legislators, ministers and officials under its ambit. We will raise the   issue in the party to put pressure on the government regarding formulation of   such a law," former BJP state chief Raghubar Das told IANS.
 
 Pradeep   Kumar, legislative party leader of Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik (JVM-P),   told IANS: "Our party is dedicated to fighting corruption. We will raise the   issue of declaration of assets of each legislator, minister and official every   year in the assembly session."
 
 The Congress echoed the demand.
 
 "If we have to uproot corruption, we should start taking measures to   fight corruption. The declaration of assets by ministers and officials will be a   primary step in fighting corruption and the Congress will support the government   if it wants to legislate any such law," Radha Krishna Kishore, Jharkhand   Congress spokesperson, told IANS.
 
 (IANS) 
      
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