Published Feb 01, 2024 | 2:37 PM ⚊ Updated Feb 01, 2024 | 9:14 PM
The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leads the coalition in Jharkhand. (Sourced)
A day after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Hemant Soren moments after he resigned as Chief Minister of Jharkhand, ruling coalition MLAs were scheduled to move to Hyderabad.
Over 40 MLAs of the ruling coalition, led by Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) were on a plane to Congress-ruled Telangana on Thursday from Ranchi.
Speaking to South First from the chartered plane, Congress MLA and Jharkhand’s minister for Health and medical education Banna Gupta said more than 40 MLAs in two flights were leaving to Hyderabad. “We have been waiting to leave since afternoon. We have been sitting in the flight for over half hour but it hasn’t taken off due to poor visibility.”
Gupta added that at least eight MLAs of the coalition would stay back in Ranchi to oversee political developments. “Nitish Kumar was allowed to resign and take oath again as Chief Minister of Bihar within hours but our stake to form government is being unnecessarily delayed,” he told South First.
A political crisis has hit Jharkhand after incumbent Chief Minister Soren resigned on Wednesday night, followed by his detention by the ED.
He was arrested moments after he submitted his resignation to Jharkhand Governor CP Radhakrishnan. Champai Soren has now staked claim to form the government.
Earlier in the day Congress sources told South First, that the MLAs of the ruling coalition had already arrived in Hyderabad and were at an undisclosed destination. “I cannot divulge any more details,” the Congress source said.
The MLAs are being moved to Hyderabad in chartered flights to prevent possible horse-trading in the wake of the crisis hitting the ruling coalition.
The coalition has 49 MLAs in the Jharkhand Assembly with a strength of 81. The coalition includes JMM, which has 29 MLAs, Congress, 17, NCP, RJD, and Left one each.
The ED arrested Hemant Soren over his alleged involvement in a land scam. This was the first time that the ED had detained and later arrested a serving Chief Minister.
Meanwhile, Soren moved the Supreme Court challenging his arrest by the ED even as the ruling coalition MLAs were packed off to Hyderabad in special flights to prevent poaching.
Soren’s petition in the Supreme Court challenging his arrest by the ED will come up for hearing on Friday, 2 February.
A JMM-led coalition delegation, after Soren resigned, met Governor CP Radhakrishnan and claimed that they had the support of 47 MLAs and urged him to invite Champai Soren, whom they had elected as their leader, to be sworn in as the Chief Minister.
Champai Soren is a confidant of Shibu Soren, father of Hemant Soren.
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this report said the MLAs had already arrived in Hyderabad attributing it to a Congress source. The report has been updated with clarification from Jharkhand minister Banna Gupta that the MLAs were still in Ranchi, awaiting air clearance.
