Hemant Soren wins trust vote

Ranchi, July 18: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren Thursday won a crucial trust vote in the state assembly. Fortythree legislators voted in favour of the government in the 82-member assembly while 37 voted against it.

The Soren-led Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) government was formed July 13 and was directed by Governor Syed Ahmad to prove his majority in the assembly within a week.

During the debate on the motion in the special assembly session, former chief minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Arjun Munda came down on the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-Congress alliance.

"This alliance has been formed for the benefit of the Congress. There is no hope that this government will do anything for development of the state," he said.

Pradeep Yadav, legislative party leader of the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik (JVM-P), alleged that his party's legislator Nizamuddin Ansari was missing since Wednesday.

The Hemant Soren-led government earlier got some relief when party legislator Sita Soren, who was facing arrest in an abduction case, surrendered before police in Ranchi and was granted bail, paving the way for her to attend the assembly.

Another absconding party legislator, Nalin Soren, moved the Supreme Court for shield against arrest. According to a JMM legislator, the court asked Nalin Soren to surrender in Ranchi.

Nalin Soren, a former agriculture minister, is one of nine accused in the 2007 seeds scam case in which irregularities were allegedly found in supply of seeds to farmers.

Legislators Sawna Lakra, serving a life term in a murder case, and Dullu Mahto, who is in jail in another case, attended the assembly with the permission of court.

IANS