Champai Soren's MLAs ready to leave for Hyd, claims support of 43 MLAs

Patna/ New Delhi: JMM leader and transport minister Champai Soren on Thursday evening met Jharkhand governor C.P. Radhakrishnan to convince him that he has the support of 43 MLAs and urged him to accept his claim to form the government. In another major development, former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren was sent to judicial custody for one day in connection with the land scam case.

Citing "confusion" in the state, which has been without a chief minister since the resignation of Soren and the deepening political crisis, Champai Soren urged the Jharkhand governor to invite him to form the government at the earliest.

Amid the evolving political situation, Champai Soren tried to send the 39 coalition MLAs to Hyderabad to avoid poaching attempts by the BJP. However, their chartered plane remained stranded at the airport and couldn’t take off due to bad weather conditions and low visibility. The MLAs were brought back to the circuit house in Ranchi. Sources said that the MLAs are likely to leave for Hyderabad on Friday if weather conditions improve.

Talking to reporters outside the governor's house, Champai Soren said, “Our delegation tried to convince the governor that we have adequate numbers to form the government. We have the support of 43 MLAs and they can be paraded before the governor if the need arises.”

Champai Soren also reportedly showed a video clip of the MLAs who have been camping in the circuit house, hoping to be invited by the governor. JMM leaders said that Champai Soren, along with four other MLAs of the coalition, will likely meet the governor again on Friday and convince him that the alliance has adequate numbers to form a government in Jharkhand.

Other leaders who met the governor exuded confidence that they will get a call to form a government in the state. “Further delay in forming the government could lead to a crisis. There is no government in the state after Soren resigned as the chief minister on Wednesday evening,” the JMM leaders said.

Sources said that the governor is still not convinced and is seeking legal help over the issue.

According to reports, Champai Soren also chaired a meeting in the circuit house to discuss future strategies.

Meanwhile, Mr Soren was produced at the PMLA court in Ranchi on Thursday after being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate late on Wednesday evening. The court will resume hearing in the case on Friday, his lawyers in Ranchi said.

The Supreme Court has also agreed to hear on Friday Mr Soren's plea challenging his arrest by the ED. He had first moved the Jharkhand high court challenging his arrest in the case.

Acting Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Anubha Rawat Choudhary of the Jharkhand high court were scheduled to hear Mr Soren's plea at 10.30 am on Thursday. However, senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Singhvi changed their strategy and decided to move the top court instead of seeking relief from the Jharkhand high court.

"We will be withdrawing the petition in the high court... The manner of arrest just before the general election has an adverse impact on the polity of the country," Sibal told a bench comprising Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud and Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra.

Solicitor-general Tushar Mehta and additional solicitor-general S.V. Raju opposed Mr Soren’s plea, saying the high court is already scheduled to hear the petition.

Mehta said thousands of people are arrested by the ED and all of them cannot come to the top court straightaway.

"We will keep it tomorrow...We haven't read the papers," the CJI said, asking the lawyers of both sides to keep their ammunition ready for Friday.