Jharkhand Chief Minister, ruling MLAs leave Soren's house in three buses

As the political climate in Jharkhand descends into crisis with each passing second, the ruling coalition is scrambling to protect its MLAs.

According to latest reports, MLAs of the ruling coalition have left the Chief Minister's house in three buses, in an attempt to prevent poaching.

Uncertainty is rife about Chief Minister Hemant Soren's fate as an MLA, with reports suggesting that Governor Ramesh Bais is likely to send Soren's disqualification order to the Election Commission (EC) today.


Even as legislators hold multiple rounds of meetings to plan for the state, other plans are being made to secure the ruling coalition's MLAs, with contingencies made to move them to 'friendly sates' - namely non-BJP ruled states like West Bengal or Chhattisgarh - if necessary.

"All arrangements to park our coalition legislators in either Chhattisgarh or West Bengal, both run by non-BJP governments, have been made. Three luxury buses have reached Ranchi to transport the MLAs and security personnel by road. There will also be some escort vehicles," a Congress source told PTI.

Soren's MLA seat is in jeopardy after he was accused of violating electoral norms by extending a mining lease to himself. The BJP, the petitioner in the case, has sought the Chief Minister's disqualification for violating Section 9 (A) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951

As the law stands, accusations will be referred to the governor who in turn "shall obtain the opinion of the Election Commission and shall act according to such opinion".

The Governor's final decision and consequent recommendations from the EC could see the JMM leader disqualified from his post.

In Jharkhand's 81-member Assembly, Soren's party - JMM - has 30 MLAs, with the support of Congress' 18 MLAs and one from the RJD, totalling 49 seats.

The BJP has 26 MLAs as the main Opposition.

With inputs from PTI