Jharkhand CM accuses BJP-led Centre of creating civil war like situation 

Hemant wins trust vote comfortably, BJP, AJSU MLAs walk out 

Ranchi, September 5: The Hemant Soren government in Jharkhand on Monday won the confidence vote in the Assembly by a comfortable margin, helping the politically-savvy tribal leader consolidate his hold over the state despite fears that his MLAs would be poached to bring down the JMM-led regime.

The motion of the ruling coalition was passed with 48 votes in the 81-member House. The motion was passed amidst a boycott by the BJP, its ally AJSU Party and two independents.

Earlier, he addressed the House and sought a trust vote in the special one-day session as an uncertainty continued over his political future and the ruling coalition.

Speaking during the special session, Soren said the need for the trust vote was felt as the BJP was “attempting to destabilise democratically elected governments” in non-BJP-ruled states, including Jharkhand.

“Uncertainty had been prevailing in the state since August 25 after the media reported that the ECI has sent its recommendation to governor (over BJP’s petition seeking Soren’s disqualification as MLA in an office-of-profit case). But the governor is still silent.

“An UPA delegation met him urging him to clear the air. He assured them that there will be clarity in two-three days. Thereafter, he went to Delhi through the backdoor,” the CM claimed.

Soren, who still faces the threat of disqualification on the basis of the purported EC advisory to the Governor, had ring-fenced his MLAs by flying them down to neighbouring Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh.

Hemant Soren alleged that the saffron party was trying to create a “civil war-like situation in country by fuelling riots to win elections”.

“The manner in which obstacles are being presented before our government is not a secret. Three of our MLAs are in Bengal. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma tried to purchase Jharkhand MLAs. They don’t cooperate with police going to those states to probe this,” Soren. Three Congress MLAs were arrested in neighbouring Bengal carrying huge amounts of cash, which it is claimed was being carted to “buy” other MLAs into a revolt.

The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) boss came to the House along with a large number of MLAs belonging to the ruling coalition of the JMM, Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal.

A day ago, the legislators flew back to Ranchi after spending days at a resort in Chhattisgarh capital Raipur resort amid alleged fears of the Opposition BJP’s attempts to lure them to the other camp. Soren had met the legislators last night at circuit house where they spent the night.

The political crisis in Jharkhand emerged after a petition by the BJP sought Soren’s disqualification from the Assembly in an office of profit case. The BJP has accused Soren of allocating a mining lease to himself while he held the state Mining portfolio in 2021.

In February this year, the BJP submitted a memorandum to the governor Ramesh Bais seeking disqualification of Soren from the House under Section 9(A) of the Representation of People’s Act.

The Election Commission has submitted its decision in this regard to the governor, however, the same is yet to be made public.

Taking a dig at the BJP, Soren said that the party, after having made a tribal woman the president of the country, is now trying to snatch power from a tribal CM.

“People purchase commodities in market, but the BJP buys legislators,” he alleged, adding that the UPA will give the BJP-led NDA a befitting reply in 2024 Lok Sabha elections.