Jharkhand coalition MLAs may be flown to Hyderabad amid delay in Champai Soren's swearing-in: Sources

The ruling coalition MLAs in Jharkhand may be flown to Hyderabad in case no decision is taken by the Governor on Champai Soren's swearing-in ceremony as chief minister, sources told India Today. Sources said five MLAs won't head to Hyderabad and will be responsible for strategising alliance developments in Ranchi. The remaining leaders will move to Hyderabad if the Governor doesn't give time to the alliance MLAs.

Also read: Hemant Soren approaches Supreme Court against ED arrest; case to be heard tomorrow

In the 81-member House, the ruling coalition of the JMM, Congress, and other parties have 48 MLAs. After Hemant Soren's resignation as chief minister, Champai Soren staked a claim to form a new government in Jharkhand with the support of 47 legislators. Later, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Alamgir Alam said, "We have handed over a support letter from 43 MLAs to the governor who has assured to call us." 

While Congress and JMM claimed the support of 43 MLAs, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey said Champai Soren did not have a majority as infighting was going on in the family. 

In a tweet, Dubey said that there were only 35 Hyderabad-bound MLAs in Ranchi Circuit House. "Sarfaraz Ahmed is not an MLA and Hemant Soren ji is in jail. Now all the MLAs will go to Raj Bhavan, from there they will herded to the airport. In the absence of JMM national president Shibu Soren ji, who will take this decision of the leader of the legislature party?" 

The BJP leader claimed that Shibu Soren, the party chief, wants to make Basant Soren the Chief Minister of Jharkhand.

Earlier today, Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi questioned the delay in the oath-taking ceremony of Champai Soren. He also asked the Governor why he was not moving on the government formation despite the majority of MLAs backing Champai Soren. "After the honourable chief minister had submitted his resignation to the governor and a new chief minister with the numbers known was proposed, why has the governor been paralysed into inaction for the last 18 hours?" he asked. 

Singhvi said hardly a week ago in neighbouring Bihar the Governor quickly conducted the swearing-in ceremony. "How much time did it take? A few seconds a few minutes versus 18 hours till today as we speak? What kind of Einstein’s formula arithmetic is the governor trying to apply given to him from the self-evident fact given to him in writing with signatures? 48 versus 32 or 47 versus 33?" he said.