Jharkhand All Ready For Floor Test; Jailed Hemant Soren Present In Assembly

Ranchi: Champai Soren, the Jharkhand Chief Minister, moved a confidence motion in the Jharkhand Assembly on Monday.

The state government on the first day is pursuing a vote of confidence in a two-day special assembly session. “Hemant hai to himmat hai (If Hemant Soren is there we have courage),” said Champai Soren as he began his address in the special session. He also accused the BJP of destabilising the democratically elected Jharkhand government.

Champai Soren took oath as the chief minister on February 2 as Hemant Soren, his party (JMM) leader, stepped down from the post following his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case.

Congress MLAs on Sunday, who are part of the ruling JMM-led alliance in Jharkhand, flew back to Ranchi, the state capital, from Hyderabad, before the crucial trust vote. Section 144 of CrPC has been imposed in the area around the assembly.

The alliance between the JMM, Congress and the RJD has 47 MLAs, and it is supported from outside by a lone CPIML(L) legislator. On the other side, the BJP has 26 MLAs and its ally All Jharkhand Students’ Union has three.

Surrounded by cops, former chief minister Hemant Soren also reached the Assembly this morning to cast his vote in the majority test. A court on Saturday allowed the jailed JMM leader to cast his vote.