From staging a coup to dislodge the NDA government in 2006 to become the youngest chief minister of Jharkhand, Madhu Koda has always been a survivor till major ally JMM in the state's UPA withdrew support to his government on August 17.

Born on January 6, 1971, Koda, hailing from a tribal farming community, began his political career as a RSS worker in 1990 and entered the state assembly in 2000 on a BJP ticket from Jagganathpur constituency.

He retained the seat as an independent after BJP denied him nomination, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise for him.

Koda served as a cabinet minister in the erstwhile BJP governments headed by Babulal Marandi and Arjun Munda before he became the fifth chief minister after Marandi, Munda (twice) and Soren.

He became the chief minister as an independent MLA after he assumed the post on September 18, 2006 in the wake of the fall of the saffron government.

He endured many pulls and pressures to survive for nearly two years before JMM supremo Shibu Soren declared that his government's 'baggage of misgovernance' could not be carried further.