Jharkhand Crisis: CM Hemant Soren Seeks Trust Vote Amid Uncertainty Over Assembly Membership

Fearing poaching of its MLAs by BJP to topple the government, Hemant Soren's JMM-led alliance has parked MLAs in a resort in Chhattisgarh's Raipur.

Outlook Web Desk

Updated on: 3 September 2022 5:02 pm

Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren

Amid uncertainty over the state assembly membership of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, he is believed to be seeking a vote of trust on Monday.

PTI reported an official as saying that Soren is seeking the trust vote during a special session of the assembly on Monday.

As per a letter sent to the MLAs by the Assembly secretariat, Soren has expressed his willingness to move a motion of confidence to prove his majority.

Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also convened its legislature party’s meeting on Sunday to chalk out its strategy in the House.

Soren faces possible disqualification as an MLA for violating electoral norms by extending a mining lease to himself.

The BJP, the petitioner in the case against Soren, has sought his disqualification 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 the governor and by him to Election Commission (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 (EC) and shall act according to such opinion".

The EC sent its decision to Governor Ramesh Bais on August 25. Though it has not been made public, it has been reported earlier that the EC has recommended Soren's disqualification.

Amid the looming threat of disqualification, Soren's Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led ruling coalition has parked its MLAs to a resort in Chhattisgarh's Raipur. The coalition, also comprising of the Congress and Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD), believes that there is an active threat of the BJP poaching the coalition's MLAs in an attempt to topple the government.

The JMM-led alliance on Tuesday flew its 32 MLAs to Raipur in a chartered flight. On Wednesday, four MLAs who are also ministers, flew back to Ranchi to attend Thursday's cabinet meeting while another MLA from Ranchi arrived in Chhattisgarh to join his colleagues in the resort.

While Soren himself did not go to Raipur, sources earlier told PTI that a bunch of senior JMM leaders are with MLAs parked in Raipur.

(With PTI inputs)