The Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Jharkhand has said that it would take part in the speicla assembly session on Monday but it would oppose any attempt by the Hemant Soren-led government to introduce any bill durint the session.
Soren has called a special session of the Jharkhand assembly on Monday to seek a vote of trust to prove his majority. This comes amid uncertainty over his membership of the house as he faces possible disqualification in an office of profit case.
The BJP took the decision to oppose any bill at the legislative party meeting in Ranchi late on Sunday. It is believed to have met again around 9 am on Monday to finalise the party’s strategy for the assembly session.
"We will participate in the special session. But, the BJP would strongly protest if the government tries to bring in any bill, as there is a one-line agenda in the schedule, which says the CM will seek a trust vote," party whip Biranchi Narayan told PTI.
As per a letter sent to MLAs by the assembly secretariat, Soren has expressed his willingness to move a motion of confidence to prove his majority.
The BJP has filed a petition seeking Soren’s disqualification from the assembly 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 Election Commission (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 (EC) and shall act according to such opinion".
The EC sent its decision to Governor Ramesh Bais on August 25. Though it has not been made public, it has been reported earlier that the EC has recommended Soren's disqualification.
Former chief minister and Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi said that a special session to seek a vote of trust is beyond comprehension.
"In general, a state government seeks trust vote when the governor or a court orders the same. But, that’s not the case in Jharkhand. It is clear that the government does not trust its MLAs. The party will seek Soren’s resignation over the office-of-profit issue," said Marandi.
Soren's Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led coalition, also comprising of the Congress and the Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD), is wary of the BJP poaching its MLAs to topple their government in these moments of political uncertainty. Fearing such a situation, the coalition had parked its MPs in a resort in Chhattisgarh's Raipur.
At least 30 MLAs of the coalition made their way back to Ranchi on Sunday afternoon from Raipur to attend the special session of the assembly on Monday. They were camping there since August 30.
(With PTI inputs)
