A delegation from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to meet with Jharkhand Governor C P Radhakrishnan to express their concerns as the party's state unit chief, Babulal Marandi, alleged that Chief Minister Hemant Soren, facing corruption cases, could make his wife his successor. During a press conference, Marandi said that the BJP intends to seek suggestions from legal experts and the attorney general, news agency PTI reported.
The recent resignation of JMM lawmaker Sarfraz Ahmed, according to the Jharkhand BJP, signals Soren's intention to field his wife in the ensuing election and potentially appoint her as chief minister, especially if he faces legal consequences in the alleged scam.
Addressing the media, Marandi spoke about the possibility of Kalpana Soren taking over as the Chief Minister, stating, "Making Kalpana Soren the CM and conducting elections in Gandey within less than a year after the government formation is constitutionally impossible." Drawing parallels, Marandi cited the decision of the Maharashtra High Court in the Kotla Vidhan Sabha seat case as an example.
He stated that if Chief Minister Hemant Soren proceeds with the proposal to appoint his wife, Kalpana Soren, as his successor, it would be a "mockery of democracy", as reported by PTI. He highlighted Soren's alleged involvement in a land and money laundering scandal, emphasising that any attempt to anoint Kalpana Soren as chief minister would be unacceptable.
According to PTI, the Jharkhand BJP chief further noted that "Kalpana Soren being a domicile of Odisha cannot become an MLA from a reserved (scheduled tribe) seat in Jharkhand, leave alone the chief minister of the state".
"If such an unprecedented thing happens it will be a mockery of democracy and will go against the legal framework," Marandi, a former Jharkhand chief minister, said.
"It will be a blunder on the part of Soren should he project his wife as chief minister. It will also be a mockery of the election if she loses the poll as the state poll is due in November-December this year," he added, as per PTI.
Questioning Chief Minister Hemant Soren's reluctance to face the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Marandi emphasised that seven summons were issued to him by the central agency.
"Soren should face ED and respond to their queries if he did not commit anything wrong. It is extreme that Soren did not respond to ED's repeated summons while he accused them of harassing him," he said.
Marandi further alleged that the Hemant Soren government is neck-deep in corruption, citing a significant recovery of crores of rupees during an ED raid on an IAS official. According to Marandi, two IAS officers, an engineer, a middleman, and brokers are currently behind bars on corruption charges. He claimed that the ED has recommended registering cases against several others, but these files are allegedly kept in the chief minister's almirah, PTI reported.
"Soren is spending crores of rupees from the state exchequer to protect these corrupt officials," the Jharkhand BJP chief alleged.
ALSO READ | JMM MLA Sarfaraz Ahmad Resigns From Jharkhand Assembly Citing Personal Reasons
Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren Will Resign To Give Post To His Wife: BJP MP Nishikant Dubey
Following Sarfaraz Ahmad's resignation, who held a crucial position in the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), BJP MP Nishikant Dubey claimed on X that Hemant Soren would resign from the Chief Minister's post and Kalpana Soren would be the next Chief Minister of Jharkhand.
Dubey posted, "Sarfaraz Ahmad, the legislator from the Gandey constituency in Jharkhand, has resigned from the assembly. The resignation has been accepted. Hemant Soren will resign from the Chief Minister's post. His wife Kalpana Soren will be the next Chief Minister of Jharkhand. The new year is ominous for the Soren family."
Nishikant Dubey continued to assert that the Gandey seat would be won by the BJP. In another post, he wrote, "The Governor should seek legal advice. The Jharkhand Vidhan Sabha was constituted on December 27, 2019. Sarfaraz Ahmad's resignation happened on December 31. Elections cannot take place in less than a year. This party belongs to Shibu Soren, not Hemant Soren. How can Congress, with leaders like Sita Soren and Basant Soren, who have a history of involvement in serious crimes, aspire to govern Jharkhand? Gandey seat will be won by the NDA in any case."
Dubey's third post on the matter emphasised the legal constraints on holding elections in Gandey citing the Katol Vidhan Sabha decision by the Mumbai High Court. He questioned how Kalpana Soren could become a legislator.
"According to the judgment of Supreme Court sr choudhry vs state of Punjab, if Kalpana Soren ji does not become MLA within 6 months, then she cannot take oath as the Chief Minister, and according to the judgment of Mumbai High Court for Katol Assembly, now Gandey or Jharkhand Elections cannot be held in any assembly of Jharkhand," he wrote.
Subscribe And Follow ABP Live On Telegram: https://t.me/officialabplive