Jharkhand political crisis: ECI suggests disqualification of Soren

On Tuesday, amid political unrest following the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) ostensible suggestion that state minister Hemant Soren be disqualified as an assembly member, members from Jharkhand’s ruling alliance were expected to be relocated to Raipur in Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh.

People with knowledge of the situation stated that while most were scheduled to depart for Raipur at around 4 pm and stay at a resort on the outskirts of Raipur, a few prominent politicians were likely to stay behind. According to a Chhattisgarh government official, plans were being made to host the politicians at the resort.

Soren has sought to send out a message that the ruling alliance of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Congress, and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is intact since the uncertainty over his fate began on Saturday. He took a boat ride with lawmakers at the Latratu dam in Khunti district amid speculation that the legislators were being sent to a “friendly state” with a non-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government.

Soren had back-to-back meetings with the legislators after ECI issued a report purportedly recommending his disqualification to governor Ramesh Bais, who has yet to make his decision public.

The 81-member assembly is made up of 49 members of the ruling coalition. The Congress has 18, the JMM has 30, and the RJD has one member. The 26-member BJP, the largest opposition party, has been charged with attempting to topple the government.

Over the weekend, there were rumours that the ruling coalition was moving its legislators to Chhattisgarh or West Bengal.

An “office of profit” complaint against Soren alleges that he has a mining lease over a piece of property close to Ranchi, which could result in his disqualification under the Representation of the People’s Act. In order to avoid being disqualified from receiving government contracts, Soren was accused by the BJP of breaking Section 9(A) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

The BJP has been accused by Soren’s office of flagrantly abusing its constitutional rights, and the party’s leaders and puppet journalists, according to the office, appear to have drafted the ECI report, which was otherwise sealed under a cover.