Jharkhand's Chief Minister Hemant Soren is facing the sword of arrest. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, he convened two consecutive meetings, with his wife Kalpana Soren joining the first one. Subsequently, a legislative party meeting was called, attended by 43 legislators, with four absentees, including Sita Soren, Ramdas Soren, Chamra Linda, and Lobin Hembram – all belonging to the JMM party. Sources suggest that Plan B was discussed in the meeting. If the ED arrests CM Hemant Soren, the deliberation focused on the government's course of action in such a scenario. The legislative party meeting extended for two hours. The ED will interrogate CM Soren at 1 PM on Wednesday at the CM's office.
What Did Legislators Say After The Meeting?
Post the meeting, legislators expressed assurance to Chief Minister Hemant Soren from all members of the Mahagathbandhan that he was elected as the Chief Minister for a full five-year term and would remain so until the end. Tomorrow, all legislators will gather at the CM's residence.
Jharkhand's Health Minister Banna Gupta stated, "We are all with the government. Hemant Soren will participate in the ED interrogation; he himself has said it. The government won't fall. If something like an arrest happens, we will see. We stand strong with the government. When Plan A is in place, there is no Plan B. No discussion has taken place regarding Kalpana Soren yet. When needed, when it has to be made, we will make Hemant the CM."
Is Kalpana Soren Stuck In A Predicament?
Speculations are rife that Kalpana Soren, Hemant Soren's wife, may be made the CM. However, within the Soren family, there seems to be no consensus.
According to sources, Sita Soren and Basant Soren, who are both JMM legislators, do not agree with Kalpana Soren becoming the CM. Sita Soren is the wife of the late Durga Soren, Hemant Soren's elder brother. On the other hand, Basant Soren is the younger brother of CM Soren.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey has also claimed that Sita Soren and Basant Soren do not support Kalpana Soren for the CM post. Meanwhile, legal hurdles are also being cited for Kalpana Soren to become CM as she is not currently a legislator but has previously resigned from a legislative seat. Since then, speculations have emerged that Kalpana Soren might be made the CM.
Section 144 Imposed In Ranchi
Section 144 will be in effect in Ranchi on Wednesday between 9 AM and 10 PM. The district administration has implemented this precautionary measure. Section 144 will apply to the CM residence, the ED office, and Raj Bhavan. It's worth noting that during the last ED interrogation of CM Soren, a large crowd of JMM supporters gathered outside the CM's residence. To avoid any impact on law and order, the imposition of Section 144 has been decided.