Jharkhand CM Soren calls meeting of UPA MLAs amid disqualification threat

New Delhi: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Friday called a meeting of UPA MLAs a day after the Election Commission of India recommended his disqualification as MLA under the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

Sources said that a future political strategy will be discussed with the MLAs.

On Thursday, he blamed the opposition BJP for the controversy as reports emanated that the Election Commission has submitted its report to Governor Ramesh Bais. Soren said, “It seems the BJP leaders and their puppets have drafted the report which is in a sealed cover.” He said that there was no communication to him officially. Sources, however, said that the BJP was looking confident about their petition against him.

The Election Commission has sent a letter to the Governor on the issue of the Assembly membership of Soren after former Chief Minister Raghubar Das and the BJP sought his disqualification.

Accusing Soren of extending a mining lease to himself, the BJP leaders termed it as a violation of the office of profit and Representation of the People’s Act and wrote to the Governor on the issue.

With the issuance of the Governor’s order on the poll panel’s recommendations, Soren’s Assembly membership could end, and in such a situation, he may have to resign as the Chief Minister.

However, the JMM-Congress alliance, led by Soren, has a majority in the Assembly, and after his resignation, he can again stake a claim to form the government in the state.