Jharkhand chief minister Champai Soren will be facing a majority test via floor test in the state assembly on Monday at 11 am. The leader took over the top post of CM after his head Hemant Soren resigned ahead of being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) last week. The governing JMM-led coalition, which had isolated its MLAs in a Hyderabad resort to prevent poaching, returned its leaders to Ranchi on Sunday evening. The BJP said that the coalition's action reflected a lack of confidence.


Key Points 



  • Champai Soren established a government despite charges of purposeful delay by the governor. He enjoys the backing of 43 MLAs in the 81-member Jharkhand legislature. The BJP-led NDA has 29 MLAs in the legislature, comprising the BJP's 26 and the AJSU's 3.

  • After the ED detained Hemant Soren on January 31 in an alleged land fraud case, his close aide Champai Soren approached the governor, claiming the backing of 43 MLAs. However, several MLAs did not sign the support letter but remain in the coalition.

  • According to various media reports, several JMM MLAs who did not support Champai Soren may not take the floor test.

  • Hemant Soren, Jharkhand's former chief minister, will be released from jail on Monday to vote during the floor test, after a special court in Ranchi granted him permission on Saturday.

  • Upon arrival in Ranchi, JMM-led alliance MLAs expressed confidence in winning the trust vote, claiming to have the backing of 48 to 50 lawmakers. JMM legislator Mithilesh Thakur said that several BJP MLAs in the state support the 'Mahagathbandhan'.

  • Meanwhile, the BJP's top whip, Biranchi Narain, stated that the JMM-led alliance was likely to lose the vote of confidence. "The MLAs in Hyderabad were kept under strict surveillance, which indicates that they were not confident of winning," added Mr. Singh.

  • The JMM-led alliance MLAs, who had been at a resort in Hyderabad for the last three days, were flown in two planes because the coalition was concerned that the BJP might try to "poach" them in the run-up to the confidence vote.

  • Lobin Hembrom, a JMM MLA, questioned the decision to transport the MLAs to a luxurious resort in Hyderabad on Sunday. However, the JMM leadership has stated that Hembrom will vote in support of the coalition government.


(With Inputs From Agencies)