Jharkhand crisis: Two buses with ruling MLAs leave for unknown destination

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Ranchi, Aug 27: Amid the deepening political crisis in Jharkhand due to the uncertainty over Chief Minister Hemant Soren's fate as an MLA, Soren and ruling legislators were seen leaving for some unknown destination on three buses.

The two buses were occupied by the legislators of the ruling JMM-Congress-RJD coalition and guarded by security personnel. Some reports said the legislators are being shifted to a "friendly state", which could either be West Bengal or Chhattisgarh. It should be noted that both the states have non-BJP governments.

#WATCH | Jharkhand political crisis: Two buses carrying Jharkhand MLAs leave from the residence of CM Hemant Soren in Ranchi after the meeting of UPA Legislators concludes pic.twitter.com/QBJHogiViU

— ANI (@ANI) August 27, 2022

The development comes in the wake of a crisis situation in Jharkhand where a threat to Soren being "disqualified" as an MLA has arisen, while a marathon third round of a meeting of legislators of the ruling alliance is underway in the chief minister's residence to chalk out a strategy to deal with the emerging scenario.

All the ruling MLAs are attending the meeting along with their luggage, they said.

Governor Ramesh Bais is likely to send the order of disqualification of Soren as an MLA to the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday, Raj Bhavan sources said.

Earlier, three locations in Chhattisgarh, including Barmuda and Raipur, and some places in West Bengal were identified to shift MLAs.

In the rapidly changing political scenario, 'resort politics' is the need of the hour to keep the numbers of the ruling alliance intact, party sources asserted.

Insiders in the Congress, a crucial ally in the JMM-led ruling coalition, had said that ring-fencing of MLAs by parking them in a resort in a "friendly state" such as West Bengal, Bihar or Chhattisgarh is being considered as an option to prevent legislator poaching by the BJP.

However, they said a decision on the future course of action can be taken once the governor communicates to them the ECI's opinion on the possible disqualification of Soren as an MLA.

Meanwhile, BJP's Godda MP Nishikant Dubey, known for his controversial remarks, tweeted: "According to Jharkhand Mukti Morcha sources, some MLAs reached Chhattisgarh at 2 am. Most of the MLAs are reluctant to go and are waiting for the orders of senior JMM leader Basant Soren. Some buses are parked in Ranchi for MLAs." The ECI sent its opinion to Bais on August 25 on a plea seeking that Soren be disqualified as an MLA for violating electoral norms by extending a mining lease to himself.

Rural Development and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Alamgir Alam had on Friday said the MLAs of the ruling alliance cannot be poached and will stay in Ranchi.

Another minister, Mithilesh Thakur, had claimed that the ruling coalition has the magic number of "50 MLAs, which can go up to 56" while asserting that they had learnt 'resort politics' from the saffron party.

Meanwhile, Raj Bhavan sources said the governor may take a call by evening on the ECI views on "disqualification" of the chief minister as an MLA and send the disqualification order to the commission.

The BJP, the petitioner in the case, has sought Soren's disqualification for violating Section 9 (A) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which deals with disqualification for government contracts.

The clause states that "a person shall be disqualified if, and for so long as, there subsists a contract entered into by him in the course of his trade or business with the appropriate government for the supply of goods to, or for the execution of any works undertaken by, that government".

The issue was referred to the governor 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".

The ruling coalition has 49 MLAs in the 81-member Assembly. The JMM, the largest party, has 30 MLAs, the Congress 18 legislators, and the RJD one. The main opposition BJP has 26 MLAs in the House. The coalition partners had on Thursday claimed that there was no threat to the government.

The JMM had exuded confidence that Soren will remain the chief minister for full term till 2024.