Jharkhand political crisis: Bags packed, MLAs likely to be moved to Chhattisgarh to deter poaching
As the political fate of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and his coalition government hangs in the balance, a few MLAs on Saturday reached the CM’s house with luggage.
MLAs of the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) may leave for Chhattisgarh in a while.
Speculation is rife that they may be shifted to Chhattisgarh to deter poaching.
The ruling coalition has 49 MLAs in the 81-member Assembly. The JMM, as the largest party, has 30 MLAs, the Congress 18 legislators, and the RJD one. The BJP has 26 MLAs in the House.
Faced with the threat of Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren being “disqualified” as MLA, a crucial meeting of the UPA was held at the CM’s residence on Friday to chalk out a strategy. In the rapidly changing political scenario, ‘resort politics’ could come into play to keep the numbers intact, sources said.
Earlier in the day, Soren said at a public meeting that “satanic forces” were attempting to destabilise his democratically-elected government. He asserted that he was not worried as he had the people’s mandate and that he would fight till the last drop of his blood.
MINING LEASE CASE
A complaint was lodged against Hemant Soren for awarding a mining lease to himself. The BJP, the petitioner in the case, has sought Soren’s disqualification as MLA for violating Section 9(A) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which deals with disqualification for government contracts.
The issue was referred to Jharkhand Governor Ramesh Bais and by him to the EC, as Article 192 of the Constitution states that on rulings regarding an MLA’s disqualification, the question shall be referred to the governor who in turn “shall obtain the opinion of the Election Commission and shall act according to such opinion”.
Sources said EC has sent its recommendation of disqualification to the Jharkhand Governor. The ball now lies in Governor Ramesh Bais’s court. He will have to issue a notification, after which the disqualification proceedings will begin.
The BJP has already called for fresh elections and asked the chief minister to resign “on moral grounds”. “Hemant Soren should head towards mid-term polls, on moral grounds,” BJP MP Nishikant Dubey said, adding: “Assembly should be dissolved and there should be elections in all 81 assembly constituencies. BJP has been demanding this.”