The Congress party in Jharkhand has taken precautionary measures by sequestering its MLAs to safeguard against potential ‘horse-trading’ by the BJP. Ghulam Ahmad Mir, the Congress in-charge for Jharkhand, revealed that this step was taken due to the delay in the governor’s invitation for the swearing-in ceremony of Champai Soren, who was elected as the leader of the legislature party of the ruling JMM after Hemant Soren’s resignation as the chief minister.
Mir criticized the governor’s delay, contrasting it with the swift oath ceremonies organized by the BJP and its allies in other states. He cited the example of Nitish Kumar, who took oath as the chief minister of Bihar just five hours after announcing an alliance with the BJP.
Champai Soren, awaiting an invitation from the Raj Bhavan to form the government, expressed concern about the prolonged delay compared to other states where oaths are administered within two hours of staking a claim. The Congress leader emphasized the need for a speedy decision from the governor to facilitate the swearing-in of the new chief minister and the formation of the government.
The situation unfolded after Hemant Soren’s resignation and subsequent arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case. The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a plea challenging Soren’s arrest on Friday, with lawyers withdrawing their petition from the Jharkhand high court and moving it to the Supreme Court.
In the backdrop of these developments, the political landscape in Jharkhand remains tense, with both the Congress and JMM seeking prompt resolution and asserting their respective positions.