Indian parliament in chaos for third day

Livid opposition MPs bellowed for the dismissal of the state's governor after he asked Congress party allies to form a government after an election in which they won fewer seats than the Hindu nationalists and their partners.

Critics charge the uproar has tarnished the image of Congress, India's oldest political party, which had pledged clean rule when it ousted the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at national elections last May.

BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu said democracy was being "murdered" in Jharkhand by the Congress party, led by Italian-born Sonia Gandhi.

State elections in Jharkhand last month resulted in a hung assembly but -- despite the result -- Congress-allied governor Syed Sibtey Razi went ahead and swore in a Congress ally as chief minister on Wednesday.

Results from the poll showed the new chief minister, Shibu Soren, and his Congress allies had won 33 seats compared to 36 seats for the BJP and its allies. Both coalitions are claiming the support of 42 legislators in the 81-member house.

In the national parliament, BJP leaders jumped to their feet on Friday and demanded that New Delhi sack Razi, the Jharkhand governor.

The disarray forced lower house Speaker Somnath Chatterjee to adjourn proceedings early, citing a "disorderly situation."

Similar scenes erupted in the upper house where proceedings also ended abruptly. Parliament will resume next Wednesday.

Razi, summoned by President Abdul Kalam to New Delhi on Tuesday to explain his actions, said he would ask the new government in Jharkand to prove its majority ahead of a three-week deadline which expires March 21.

However, no date has been set for the government to prove its majority.

BJP leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra warned the BJP and its allies would continue the parliamentary protests until the Jharkhand governor is fired, prompting accusations from Congress that the opposition was "throttling" democracy.