Multiple rounds of meetings have been held at Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemat Soren's residence on Friday amid the threat of disqualification of his membership of the state assembly.
The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led ruling coalition gathered for a second meeting on Friday evening at Soren's home. The allies are working on strategies to secure the survival of the government, according to PTI.
Insiders from Congress, a key coalition partner, told PTI on the condition of anonymity that "ring-fencing" 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 avoid legislator poaching by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). However, sources added that a decision on the future course of action can be taken once Governor Ramesh Bais communicates to them the Election Commission’s (EC) opinion on the possible disqualification of the Soren.
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Soren faces possible disqualification as an MLA for allegedly violating electoral norms by extending himself a mining lease.
Sources in the Raj Bhavan had on Thursday claimed that the EC recommended Soren's disqualification as an MLA, but there is no official confirmation as yet. Amid the rapidly changing political scenario, the sources on Friday said that Bais is likely to send disqualification order to EC on Saturday.
Soren on Friday lashed out at Centre for "unleashing" all constitutional agencies to “de-stabilise a democratically elected government”. He said that “satanic forces” were all out to execute evil designs.
The BJP is the petitioner in the case that has threatened Soren's chief ministerial tenure. It has sought his disqualification for violating Section 9(A) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. The act deals with disqualification of elected officials over government contracts. The issue was referred to the governor and by governor 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".
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The ruling coalition has 49 MLAs in the 81-member Assembly. The JMM is the largest party with 30 MLAs. The Congress 18 legislators and the Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD) has 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 as the chief minister till 2024. The party also said it will move the Supreme Court if Soren is disqualified as an MLA.
Hindustan Times reported that while Soren may have to resign if the EC indeed recommended his disqualification, his party may renominate him as floor leader and then there may be no legal bar to his becoming the chief minister.
“He has been disqualified from the assembly. But he can still remain a chief minister or a minister if his party elects him for the post. Our Constitution allows an unelected minister to remain in power for a maximum period of six months. So, if he has to continue beyond six months, he must get himself re-elected in a by-poll,” said former Lok Sabha secretary general PDT Achary to HT.
(With PTI inputs)
