Jharkhand Governor Ramesh Bais is likely to send the order of disqualification of Chief Minister Hemant Soren as an MLA to the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday.
Meanwhile, partners in Soren's Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-led (JMM) government are holding meetings since Friday and are considering moving a section of their MLAs to resorts in "friendly states" to prevent attempts of poaching by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The partners on Saturday are holding their third meeting at Soren's residence in two days.
"The governor will sign the disqualification order today and it will be sent to the ECI," a Raj Bhavan source told PTI.
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Sources in the governor's official residence had on Thursday claimed that the ECI has recommended Soren's disqualification as an MLA for violating electoral norms by extending a mining lease to himself, but there has been no official confirmation yet.
Sources in the ruling alliance, comprising of JMM, Congress, and the Rashtriya Janta Dal, said that strategies were being chalked out to ensure there was no threat to the government. Congress insiders told PTI on Friday 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 BJP from toppling government by poaching MLAs.
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However, sources told PTI that 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. Soren, who was in Latehar on Friday to attend a programme, lashed out at the Centre for "unleashing" all constitutional agencies to "de-stabilise a democratically elected government". He said "satanic forces" were all out to execute evil designs.
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 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.
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(With PTI Inputs)
