Jharkhand JMM MLA Sarfaraz Ahmad resigns, political gossips heats up in election year 

Ranchi, December 1:Ruling JMM MLA Sarfaraz Ahmad has resigned from the Jharkhand Assembly, according to a notification issued on Monday.

However, no reason was cited in the notification as to why the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) legislator of Gandey constituency put it in his papers.

“It is being informed to the public that the Jharkhand Assembly Speaker has accepted the resignation letter of Gandey MLA Sarfaraz Ahmad. The constituency is vacant with effect from December 31, 2023,” the notification issued by the assembly secretariat said.

Meanwhile, his resignation has sparked off speculations, with the BJP alleging that Ahmad was made to quit so that Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s wife Kalpana Soren could contest the assembly elections from Gandey seat.

The social media handle of Godda BJP MP Nishikant Dubey shared in X (formerly twitter) took a swipe at Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren over the sudden resignation of the MLA with claims that Soren would also resign soon.

“Jharkhand’s MLA from Gandey, Sarfaraz Ahmed, has resigned from the Assembly and his resignation has been accepted. Soon, Hemant Soren-ji will also resign from the post of chief minister and his wife, Kalpana Soren-ji, will take over as the next CM. The new year could bring pain to the Soren family,” Dubey posted from his official handle on X in Hindi.

Nishikant Dubey, in an X post, said that with assembly elections in Jharkhand due in less than a year, by-election to Gandey cannot be conducted now.

He cited a Mumbai High Court ruling concerning a by-election in a constituency in Maharashtra at a time when assembly elections were due in the western state in one year and 50 days.

“@CPRGuv Governor Sir (Jharkhand Governor CP Radhakrishnan), if Kalpana Soren Ji cannot become an MLA from anywhere, then how will she become the chief minister,” he said.

In the latest seventh ED summons to CM Soren, also the executive president of the ruling JMM, issued last month, he has been asked to inform the investigating officer about the date, venue, and time of his choice so that his statement could be recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Soren has accused the Union government of using central agencies to destabilise the democratically elected state government.

He had previously filed petitions before the Supreme Court and Jharkhand High Court seeking protection from ED’s actions, terming the summonses “unwarranted”. Both courts dismissed his petitions.