Team News Riveting
Raipur/Ranchi, September 1
Lashing out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), MLAs affiliated to the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Congress in Jharkhand today claimed that democracy was mocked in the state.
The MLAs of the ruling coalition in Jharkhand had been staying in a resort in Chhattisgarh’s Nava Raipur after they were shifted on Tuesday fearing split in the party following the political turmoil in the state that arose after Chief Minister Hemant Soren was reportedly indicted in office of profit case. He is accused of getting the mining lease allotted in his name while being a departmental minister.
Sources said the Election Commission would issue a notification based on the report of the Governor. However, Soren had received the hint and had started working on damage control. Though the Raj Bhawan had not issued an official communication, the possibility of Soren being disqualified as member of Jharkhand Legislative Assembly was not ruled out.
The state would however plunge into a major political crisis if Soren is barred from contesting the election too. It could lead to political uncertainty and the possibility of a split.
Amidst heavy security arrangement, 32 MLAs have been shifted in the resort. A section of them today talked to the reporters and claimed that efforts were on to destabilise the Jharkhand government and it was their responsibility to protect the democracy. The BJP should be asked why such a situation arises that ruling coalition MLAs had to come and stay in Raipur, the MLAs Dipika Pandey, Sudivya Kumar, Bhushan Bara and Stephen Marandi said. They were accompanied by Jharkhand PCC chief Rajesh Thakur came out of the resort this evening to interact with media persons.
The MLAs added that the BJP does not have rights to speak on the issue of coming to Raipur given what it has done in Assam while giving shelter to Eknath Shinde and MLAs to split the Shiv Sena.
Back in Ranchi, the state cabinet today passed a proposal for sanctioning of Rs 2.06 crore for the service of chartered planes by the VIPs and VVIPs of Jharkhand for one month starting from August 31 to visit places outside the State. The decision is apparently related to the current political turmoil as the MLAs flew from Ranchi to Raipur in a chartered plane.
Meanwhile, a special session of the Jharkhand assembly has been convened on September 5.
