The United Progressive Alliance, which is led by the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha in Jharkhand, is trying its best to keep the flock intact despite an imminent threat to membership of Chief Minister Hemant Soren in the State Legislative Assembly. While the Governor House is silent on the letter sent by ECI in the office of profit case against Soren, the UPA is weighing different options for the future if the worst becomes inevitable.
Two meetings of UPA legislators were called on Friday at CM’s official residence, which was attended by 37 MLAs of the flock. Some of the MLAs could not join the meetings for being away from the city or on medical, legal grounds.
JMM insiders said that in both the meetings it was clearly asked to the MLAs not to move away from the Capital city and be ready for any situation that may come after the Raj Bhawan takes action on the recommendation of the ECI.
While media houses across the country on Friday were quick enough to announce (attributing to sources) that Governor Ramesh Bais has given his recommendation to cancel membership of the House of Soren, the MLAs attending the meetings feigned ignorance on the issue and said that they were ready for any situation.
In the meeting of the UPA legislature party called in the evening, all the MLAs of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and Congress reached one by one. Congress Legislature Party leader Alamgir Alam and party working president Bandhu Tirkey also attended the meeting.
Senior Congress leader and State Finance Minister Dr. Rameshwar Oraon, who came to participate in the meeting, said that it is not clear whether the Chief Minister's membership of the House has gone or not. Even if it is, then the Grand Alliance has a majority. On the question of CM face, he said that face does not matter.
State Congress working president Bandhu Tirkey said that no official statement has come out from the Raj Bhavan so far. “Whatever I have heard is from the media. The strategy will be made only after the official announcement is made,” he said. Targeting the main opposition party, Tirkey said that BJP is trying to set a narrative. All this has been done under a well-planned conspiracy.
Jharia MLA Purnima Neeraj Singh said that whatever political stories are being made they are being made by the media only. She said that she has no information about the EC letter to the Governor or CM’s membership of the House.
Notably, media reports suggest that the Raj Bhawan will send its recommendation to the ECI tomorrow about CM Hemant Soren case and after that the ECI may issue a notification suggesting removal of legislatureship of CM Hemant Soren from the House.
However, in any case, the UPA members in the State are confident as they have sufficient numbers to form a government in the State with or without Hemant Soren being the CM. In the 81 member House the UPA has 49 members of its own. This includes 30 MLAs of JMM, 18 of Congress and one MLA from the RJD. A couple of independent MLAs are also supporting the government.