The fate of the Hemant Soren government in Jharkhand hangs by a thread amid speculations over the Chief Minister’s disqualification as an MLA for holding office of profit, resulting in conflict of interest. The ruling allies, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Congress have seldom seen eye to eye on many issues in the recent past, including the fielding of candidates for the Rajya Sabha elections or going separate ways when it came to the Presidential elections. Things have, however, taken a turn for the worse after the Election Commission (EC) sent a sealed envelope to the Governor, where it is believed the fate of CM Soren has already been written. According to The Indian Express, the Election Commission has, indeed, recommended that the Chief Minister be disqualified as an MLA under Section 9A of the Representation of People Act, which prohibits elected representatives from entering into contracts with the government for “supply of goods” or “for the execution of any works undertaken by the government.”
While the CMO has denied having received any communication in this regard from the EC of the Raj Bhavan, Soren’s disqualification means that he will have to resign, along with his council of ministers. If he believes he can hold on to the present alliance, he can stake claim to form the government. He will again be sworn in, and then, get elected in a byelection to the Jharkhand Assembly within the next six months, or step down again.
However, strained ties between ruling allies and within his party might prove to be a dampener for Soren. If the decision goes against Soren, the parties in the state might go back to resort politics till the trust vote is completed in a bid to keep their flock together.
In the 82-member Jharkhand assembly JMM has 30 MLAs, while the Congress has 17. Collectively, the alliance has 47 legislators, while the magic number is 42. The BJP has 25 MLAs.
Meanwhile, JMM is confident that Soren will remain the Chief Minister till 2024. Soren has maintained that he has no knowledge of EC seeking his disqualification as he got to know of this development from the media. “It seems that BJP leaders, including a BJP MP, and his puppet journalists have themselves drafted the EC report, which is otherwise always given in a sealed cover,” Soren said in a statement.
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“This blatant misuse of constitutional authorities and public agencies and its complete takeover by BJP HQ in Deendayal Upadhyay Marg in this shameful manner is unseen in Indian democracy,” he further stated.
The BJP has asked Soren to step down on “moral grounds” and pave way for fresh elections in the state. However, JMM has said that it will knock on the Supreme Court’s doors, in case Soren is disqualified.