The Election Commission (EC) has sought chief minister Hemant Soren's disqualification as an MLA for "violating electoral law" by allegedly extending a mining lease to himself, reports said. His disqualification as a legislator will put a question on his chief ministerial position.
Soren called a meeting of the UPA at his residence in Ranchi on Friday. "We've (Jharkhand Congress MLAs) been instructed, keeping in mind the recent political developments and speculations in Jharkhand, to be available in Ranchi. We've (UPA MLAs) been called at 11 am tomorrow for another meeting at CM's residence," news agency PTI quoted Jharkhand Congress MLA Purnima Niraj Singh.
Amid the chaos, Jharkhand's ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has shown confidence that Soren will continue as the chief minister of the state till 2024 and the recent developments will not pose any risk to the current government.
Why is Soren under the scanner?
Troubles began for Soren in February this year when a petitioner said that the high court was approached for an "appropriate direction to prosecute the chief minister (Hemant Soren)," for "misusing" his office to get mining lease in his name. In one of the court hearings, Advocate General Rajiv Ranjan called state's decision to grant lease "a mistake" and that it was a "violation of Code of Conduct."
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has sought Soren's disqualification for "violating" section 9-A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which deals with disqualification for government contracts, the PTI reported.
A petition was also filed against Soren for money laundering involving the chief minister and his family through shell companies. The petitioner in the PIL had called for ED, CBI and the Income Tax department's intervention, the Indian Express reported.
Soren's jibe at BJP
Amid reports of his disqualification on Thursday, Soren denied receiving any communication, while several media reports and BJP's statements were doing rounds about the Election Commission "recommending his disqualification as an MLA".
"It seems that BJP leaders, including a BJP MP, and his puppet journalists have themselves drafted the EC report, which is otherwise always given in a sealed cover," Mr Soren said in a statement. He said this was a "blatant misuse of constitutional authorities and public agencies." The BJP has called fresh elections and have demanded Soren's resignation "on moral grounds".
"Hemant Soren should head towards mid-term polls, on moral grounds," PTI quoted BJP MP Nishikant Dubey. He said the Assembly should be dissolved and fresh voting should be conducted in all 81 assembly constituencies.
Meanwhile, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has said it will approach the Supreme Court if Soren is disqualified as an MLA. The party has asserted the party has an absolute majority in Assembly and that there was no threat to the government as it has an absolute majority in the assembly.
Despite the party's confidence in the government's stability, the PTI quoted party sources saying that the chief minister's wife Kalpana Soren could be given appointed in place of Soren in case he faces disqualification.