Sources have said that the BJP may attempt to poach MLAs to topple CM Hemant Soren's government and protecting them in a 'safe haven' is needed.
Jharkhand's ruling coalition UPA is holding a meeting on Tuesday at Chief Minister Hemant Soren's residence to work on a strategy amid suspence over the fate of Soren's membership of the house. Meanwhile, the Raj Bhavan continues to maintain silence over the Election Commission’s (EC) ruling Soren's fate as an MLA.
"An important meeting has been convened at the Chief Minister's residence to discuss the emerging political scenario," a minister who did not wish to be named told PTI.
Threat of disqualification from the state assembly looms over Soren. Though the EC's decision has not been conveyed by Governor Ramesh Bais, it has earlier been reported that the EC has recommended Soren's disqualification in the office of profit filed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The EC sent its decision to Bais on August 25.
The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-led coalition MLAs have requested Bais to clear the confusion saying they were ready to face any situation. On August 28, UPA constituents –the JMM, Congress and the Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD)– had in a joint statement accused Bais of encouraging political horse-trading by "deliberately delaying" announcing a decision on the Soren's membership of the legislature.
Meanwhile, speculations are again rife that UPA MLAs could be flown to either Chhattisgarh or West Bengal – “friendly states” ruled by non-BJP parties. Sources in the ruling coalition neither confirmed nor denied such a possibility. A report said that MLAs would fly to Raipur in Chhattisgarh and would stay at a resort until the picture gets clear.
It has been reported for days that the UPA is actively considering parking MLAs at a hotel or a resort to prevent BJP from poaching its MLAs in an attempt to topple the Soren-led government. Speculations were rife when Soren and the MLAs left for an "unknown destination" in three buses on August 27. It was later learnt that they went to a nearby tourist spot and returned in the evening.
Soren’s JMM believes that the BJP may make a serious attempt to poach MLAs from it and from the Congress in a bid to topple the government in a manner “similar to Maharashtra” and there is a need to ringfence the legislators in a “safe haven”.
Besides meeting of the political coalition, a meeting of the Jharkhand Cabinet has been scheduled on September 1 at 4 pm.
Soren is facing possible disqualification as an MLA for violating electoral norms by extending a mining lease to himself. The BJP, the petitioner in the case, 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 issue was referred to the governor and by him to EC, as Article 192 of the Constitution states that on rulings regarding an MLA's disqualification, the question shall be referred to the governor who in turn "shall obtain the opinion of the Election Commission and shall act according to such opinion".
(With PTI inputs)