RANCHI: In a dramatic turn of events, Chief Minister Hemant Soren after going traceless for nearly 30 hours from Delhi was spotted at his residence in Ranchi on Tuesday convening a meeting with the legislators of the ruling alliance in the presence of Kalpana Soren, which has sparked speculations that JMM has started working on plan B.
But, how Soren reached Ranchi is still a mystery as party leaders are tight-lipped over the issue. The meeting, which officially was termed as an informal one with the legislators of the ruling alliance, holds significance as Kalpana Soren was brought before them to gauge their mood for a possible change of guard.
Party insiders revealed that Soren as a part of political strategy, is keeping his options open in case he has to resign or get arrested in the land scam case. It is being speculated that the ruling alliance has reached a consensus over making Kalpana Soren the new CM face during the meeting if a change of guard becomes inevitable in the state after ED's questioning of CM Hemant Soren on Wednesday.
According to a senior JMM MLA, there cannot be a better leader than Kalpana Soren who is unanimously acceptable to everyone across the party line in the ruling alliance.
“She is the best choice for the coalition as other members of the Soren family are trapped in one case or another,” said the JMM MLA requesting anonymity. There is no such problem with Kalpana Soren ji as she is still free from any such allegations, he added.
A formal meeting of the legislators of the ruling alliance, however, has been called at his residence by CM Soren at 7 pm in the evening to discuss the current political scenario in the backdrop of the questioning which is to take place on Wednesday afternoon. During the meeting, it is expected that the legislators may reach a consensus on Plan B.
The resignation of JMM MLA from Gandey, Sarafraj Ahmed, may also be looked at as a part of the political strategy because political experts believe that the seat has been kept vacant for Kalpana Soren to deal with any untoward situation in the state.
DEFAMATORY SUIT AGAINST BABULAL MARANDI
Meanwhile, JMM will soon file a defamation suit against Jharkhand BJP Chief Babulal Maradi for maligning the image of CM Hemant Soren by putting a missing notice on social media and announcing reward money of Rs 11000. General Secretary and Spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya talking to the media persons on Tuesday said that CM Soren is being treated as a criminal.
“If Soren has conveyed to the ED through an e-mail that he will be available for questioning on January 31, then why did they go to his residence in Delhi,” he questioned.
“BJP leaders, especially state president and former chief minister Babulal Marandi have used filthy language against the chief minister over his 40 hours stay in Delhi which is offendable, therefore case under Section 499 of IPC would be lodged against him,” announced Bhattacharya.
Bhattacharya alleged that Babulal Marandi had been missing for several days when he was chief minister but he never answered where he had been. But now he questions CM Hemant Soren, he said.
PROHIBITORY ORDERS
Section 144 has been imposed around the periphery of 100 meters from the Chief Minister's residence, Raj Bhavan and the office of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) at Ranchi in December in the wake of JMM warning that agitation of party workers may take an ugly turn over ED action against CM Hemant Soren in land scam case. CM will be questioned at the residence by the ED officials at 1 pm on Wednesday.