The JMM MLAs, after a three-day stay at a city resort in Hyderabad, departed for Ranchi from the Hyderabad airport.
Approximately 40 legislators from the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led alliance were airlifted to Telangana in anticipation of Monday’s crucial floor test in the Jharkhand state Assembly. This measure was taken as a precaution against potential poaching attempts by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), amidst political upheaval triggered by the arrest of former Chief Minister Hemant Soren, a key JMM leader, by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case. The newly sworn Chief Minister, Champai Soren, is set to face a trust vote.
Before departing for Ranchi, Champai Soren conducted a high-level meeting to assess the law-and-order situation in the state and emphasized the priority of a crime-free Jharkhand. He also expressed concern about criminal activities orchestrated from jails and instructed strict action against such gangs. The Chief Minister reviewed cases related to atrocities against women and called for the formation of a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the vandalization of the JSSC building in Ranchi.
Champai Soren also accused the BJP of framing false cases against Hemant Soren in a political rally, alleging that the motive was to continue exploiting the state’s mineral resources. He claimed that the BJP and external forces had been involved in looting Jharkhand’s minerals for nearly two decades, and when Hemant Soren intervened, false cases were fabricated.
With the trust vote on Monday being anticipated as a crucial determinant of the state’s political direction, both Champai Soren and Hemant Soren are expected to participate in the vote.