All eyes are on Governor CP Radhakrishna’s decision, after he said that he will revert to the proposal by the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-Congress alliance to appoint JMM leader Champai Soren as the leader of the legislature party after considering all formalities.
Soren had submitted his resignation on Wednesday night to the Governor at Raj Bhavan. Shortly after that, he was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a land ‘scam’ case, becoming the first sitting Chief Minister of Jharkhand to be taken into custody in an alleged graft case.
The case involved transfer and settlement of land parcels by forging records and documents.
The ruling coalition government in the state consists of JMM with 29 MLAs, Congress and RJD with 17 and one MLA respectively. The Opposition BJP had 26 seats, and AJSU with three MLAs.
The NCP(AP) and CPI (M-L) have one MLA each and two Independents each.
In a letter to the Governor, Champai Soren had wrote, “I have been elected as the leader of the Legislative Party in the meeting of the Legislative Party of JMM. Subsequently, today itself, all the honorable MLAs of the alliance parties have unanimously elected me as the leader of the Joint Legislative Party.”
“Along with this, I am attaching with this letter the letters of support from the leader of the legislative party, Indian National Congress, leader of Rashtriya Janata Dal, MLA and others. Thus, I have the support of 47 honorable members, which is more than the majority figure. Therefore, I respectfully request you to accept my claim and take action to appoint me as the Chief Minister for the formation of the new government.”
The BJP sniffing an opportunity said that President’s Rule is the only option left in the state, if government is not formed in the state.
BJP leader and Independent MLA Saryu Roy said that there was no CM in the state.
“No government in Jharkhand after Hemant Soren’s resignation from the post of Chief Minister was accepted by Honorable Governor. A constitutional crisis has arisen in the state. Short-term President’s rule is the only option in the state until an alternative government is formed.”
Meanwhile, Hemant Soren moved the Jharkhand High Court on Wednesday night. His petition will be heard by the bench of Acting Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Anubha Rawat Choudhary at 10.30 am on Thursday.