Coalition MLAs return to Ranchi from Hyderabad 

JMM MLA agrees to support Champai trust vote 

Ranchi, February 4:The MLAs of the ruling JMM-led alliance in Jharkhand, who stayed at a resort here for the past three days, reached Ranchi on Sunday evening, a day ahead of the trust vote in the Assembly.

About 40 legislators had arrived in Hyderabad in two flights on February 2, amid the coalition’s fears that the BJP may attempt to “poach” them in the run-up to a trust vote to be faced by the newly-formed Champai Soren government, left from the RGI Airport at Shamshabad here by a flight to Ranchi, Congress sources said.

The MLAs were accommodated in a luxury resort at Shamirpet on the city outskirts, during the past three days.

“They left from the resort and headed to Ranchi in a flight from the airport at Shamshabad,” the sources said.

A senior leader of the ruling coalition in Jharkhand had earlier said that the decision to shift the legislators to Hyderabad was taken considering that the opposition BJP might make attempts to “poach” them.

“We were given 10 days to prove the government’s majority. We cannot take any chances during this period as the BJP might try to contact our MLAs,” the senior leader had said.

A video released by the JMM-led coalition on Thursday showed the support of 43 legislators in the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly.

In a major relief for chief minister Champai Soren who will go for majority test on Monday, Borio JMM MLA Lobin Hembrom on Sunday agreed to conditionally support the government led by Champai Soren.

After discussions with JMM chief Shibu Soren, Hembrom outlined several demands that must be met for his backing during the trust vote on February 5 and 6.

One of his demands is the prohibition of liquor sales across the state, aiming to address alcohol-related social problems. Besides, he also sought the protection of forests and water conservation.

Additionally, he has called for the strict enforcement of the Chota Nagpur Tenancy (CNT) Act and the Santhal Pargana Tenancy (SPT) Act.

Hembrom, known for his rebel remarks against Hemant Soren and his own party, has also demanded the establishment of a rehabilitation commission to address the needs of those affected by land acquisition and displacement.

Champai Soren claimed to have support of 49 MLAs much more than the required majority mark of 41 in the 81-member assembly.