New Delhi: A day after former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren's arrest, the Congress on Thursday questioned the delay in inviting Champai Soren to head the government in the state despite having the support of 48 MLAs. 


The grand old party alleged that this amounts to contempt of the Constitution and denial of public mandate.


In a post on X, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge shared a video of Jharkhand MLAs of the Congress and JMM and accused governors of hammering nails in the coffin of Indian democracy.


"In the House of 81 MLAs, only 41 form a majority. Despite having the support of 48 MLAs, not inviting Champai Soren ji to form the government is clearly contempt of the Constitution and denial of public mandate," he said in Hindi.






"Nails are being hammered in the coffin of Indian democracy by His Excellencies," Kharge added.


Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also attacked the BJP for delaying the appointment of Champai Soren as the next chief minister of the state. 


He said "This is yet another example of political injustice "for which the Prime Minister and Home Minister duo are considered experts". "By doing what is called 'Horse-Trading' in English, they are being given time only for that. This is not only injustice but also murder of democracy," Ramesh said in a post in Hindi on X.






Party leader Abhishek Singhvi asked whether the Centre wants to impose President's Rule in Jharkhand, reported PTI.


Addressing a press conference, Singhvi and party leader Saptgiri Ulaka asked whether the governor was waiting for some instructions from the prime minister's and Union home minister's office.


Pointing out that the numbers were clear that the ruling alliance has 47/48 members while the opposition has 32/33 members in the assembly, he asked, "Does it require some rocket science to calculate the majority."


Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also said that immediately after the resignation of the coalition government in Bihar, the governor had sent an invitation to form a new government. But there is no invitation even a day after staking claim in Jharkhand, she noted.






"First the Chief Minister was forced to resign by imposing ED. He was arrested. Now there are reports that efforts are being made to buy the MLAs and stop the formation of new government.


"First Bihar, then Chandigarh and now Jharkhand - the BJP is crushing the mandate in every state on the basis of money," Vadra claimed.