Senior leaders and MLAs of the ruling UPA alliance in Jharkhand told governor Ramesh Bais on Thursday that “leaks” from Raj Bhavan were “creating political instability” amid uncertainty chief minister Hemant Soren’s leadership. The leaders also complained about the alleged attempts by the BJP to poach MLAs of the ruling coalition, while also asking the governor to “clear the air” about the Election Commission’s take on Soren’s disqualification as an MLA.
Amid the looming political crisis in the state, a 10-member delegation of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) met Bais and submitted a memorandum. In the letter, they expressed their shock over “selective leaks” from the Raj Bhavan on the chief minister’s likely disqualification. The delegation said such leaks created chaos, confusion and uncertainty.
The leaders also asked the governor to clear the confusion over the EC’s ruling on the matter. The delegation said speculation on Soren’s fate had encouraged the destablisation of a democratically elected government.
The meeting with the governor took place in the wake of reports that Soren will be resigning as an MLA. The delegation told Bais that news of the chief minister’s likely disqualification as a legislator were being “sensationalised in local and national media”.
Soren was not part of the delegation to meet Bais, as he was holding a cabinet meeting in state capital Ranchi. A day after the death of a minor girl in Jharkhand’s Dumka triggered national outrage, the ruling coalition flew 32 MLAs to Raipur to prevent alleged attempts at poaching by the BJP. The girl was set ablaze by two men.
The ruling coalition, however, asserted that the CM’s disqualification as MLA will not affect the government, as it enjoyed an absolute majority in the 81-member legislative assembly.
The BJP had petitioned Soren’s disqualification from the assembly in an office of profit case regarding a mining lease. The EC sent its decision over the matter to Bais on August 25, and is yet to be made official. There is, however, a buzz that the poll panel recommended the CM’s disqualification as an MLA. The Raj Bhavan has not officially announced anything on the matter since.
(With PTI inputs)
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