Champai Soren-led govt wins trust vote in Jharkhand Assembly

The Champai Soren-led government won a vote of confidence in 81-member Jharkhand Assembly on Monday, the first day of the two-day assembly session.

The new chief minister was supported by 47 MLAs. A total of 29 MLAs were in opposition.

Chief Minister Champai Soren took a jibe at the opposition in assembly during trust vote and said, "BJP tried to destabilise democratically elected Jharkhand government."


"I proudly say that I am part-2 of Hemant Soren," he further added. Soren lauded the former CM and said, "Today the whole country is seeing how injustice is being done to Hemant Soren. If you go to any village, you will find Hemant Soren's schemes in every house."

The MLAs of the ruling JMM-led alliance had exuded confidence of winning the floor test, contrary to the opposition BJP's belief that the coalition would be defeated.

Former chief minister Hemant Soren, who has been arrested by ED, was also present during the session. He called the day of his arrest, January 31, a black day for India. Soren accused Raj Bhawan's involvement in the arrest.

He further said, "...We have not yet accepted defeat. If they think they can succeed by putting me behind bars, this is Jharkhand where many people have laid down their lives."

"Today I have been arrested on charges of 8.5 acre land scam. If they have the courage, then show the documents of the land registered in my name. If it is proved, I will quit politics," claimed Hemant Soren.

State minister Alamgir Alam had on Sunday said, "Our MLAs are united and we have the support of 48 to 50 legislators in the 81-member assembly".

A video, released by the coalition last week, had claimed that it has the support of 43 legislators.

The alliance among the JMM, Congress and the RJD has 47 MLAs, and it is supported from outside by a lone CPIML(L) legislator.

The MLAs of the ruling alliance also exuded confidence to win the trust vote in the assembly, soon after their return to Ranchi from Hyderabad on Sunday evening.

However, Biranchi Narayan, Chief Whip of the BJP, had said the coalition was set to lose the vote of confidence on Monday.

He said the MLAs in Hyderabad were kept under strict surveillance, which indicates that they were not confident of winning.

About 38 legislators had gone to Hyderabad, the capital of Congress-ruled Telangana, in two flights on February 2, amid the coalition's fears that the BJP might attempt to "poach" them in the run-up to the trust vote.

JMM legislature party leader Champai Soren took oath as the chief minister of Jharkhand on February 2, after his predecessor Hemant Soren was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate last week in a money laundering case.

A special PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) court has allowed him to participate in the trust vote.

Hemant Soren was remanded to ED custody for five days by the court on February 2.

(With inputs from agencies)