New Delhi: Amid a political crisis building up in Jharkhand, the Chief Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha senior leader Hemant Soren has moved a special session of the Assembly on Monday where he will seek a trust vote, said an official, reported news agency PTI. As per a letter sent by the Assembly secretariat to the MLAs, the chief minister has expressed his willingness to move a motion of confidence to prove his majority, the report stated.
The decision to move the Assembly by CM Soren comes amid a sealed envelope sent by the Election Commission to Jharkhand Governor Ramesh Bais on August 25 containing a decision by the former over a petition filed by the Bharatiya Janata Party on Soren’s disqualification from Assembly in an office for profit case.
“A state of confusion is prevailing in Jharkhand. Our delegation met the Governor (on Thursday) and he assured us to clear the air in a day or two. But nothing has happened till now. Therefore, we will raise our points in the Assembly and prove our majority,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister Alamgir Alam said.
Meanwhile, the Opposition BJP has also convened its legislature party’s meeting on Sunday to chalk out its strategy in the House, reported the news agency citing its sources.
While the EC’s decision has not been made public yet, it is being speculated that the poll panel has recommended disqualification of Soren as an MLA from the Assembly.
The ruling UPA has, though, maintained that disqualification of CM as a legislator will not affect the government as the Congress-JMM-RJD coalition enjoys an absolute majority in the 81-member house.
After a meeting with the UPA MLAs on September 1 on the issue, the governor went to Delhi on Friday, triggering further speculation.
Raj Bhavan sources, however, said it was a ‘personal visit’ for a medical check-up and he is likely to return to Jharkhand on Sunday.
In a joint statement on August 28, UPA constituents had accused Bais of encouraging political horse-trading by “deliberately delaying” announcing the decision.