Panic has surely crept in the JMM-Congress-RJD ruling coalition in Jharkhand, whose Chief Minister Hemant Soren, instead of facing the Enforcement Directorate boldly, escapes from Delhi and goes into oblivion for more than 30 hours only to resurface in his State Capital on Tuesday. The ruling coalition has devised a strategy to face any unwarranted situation in the wake of Soren’s questioning by ED on January 31.
The legislators of the coalition along with CM Soren’s wife Kalpana Soren gathered at the Chief Minister’s residence on Tuesday evening and attended the legislature party meeting chaired by CM Hemant Soren. Sources said that the legislators were made to sign a “Consent letter” that may be used in case of a political crisis that may arise if CM Soren is arrested by ED.
“A consent form has been taken from all the MLAs in which, without naming anyone, it is mentioned that whoever Hemant Soren appoints as his successor in the event of a political crisis, he will have the full support of the MLAs,” said an MLA.
It is being said that if the matter reaches the point of arrest of the Chief Minister during the interrogation tomorrow, then the ruling parties will take this plan forward. As successors to Hemant Soren, the names of his wife Kalpana Soren, younger brother and Dumka MLA Basant Soren and senior JMM leader Champai Soren are being discussed in political circles.
Notably, CM Soren's wife Kalpana Soren was also present in the first meeting of the ruling party that was held at the Chief Minister's residence at around 1 pm on Tuesday. The name Kalpna Soren surfaces whenever there is a political crisis in Jharkhand. JMM MLA Dr Sarfaraz Ahmed’s resignation on December 31, 2023, had also fuelled speculations of Kalpana Soren taking over the reins.
The JMM will finally open its cards after ED’s interrogation or any other action on CM Soren on January 31.
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