RANCHI: Amid the political turmoil in Jharkhand due to the possible disqualification of Chief Minister Hemant Soren over alleged violation of office-of-profit rules, the UPA MLAs and ministers on Saturday went on a picnic to Khunti, about 40 km from Ranchi, and then returned to the state capital to attend a meeting at the chief minister’s residence.
After the meeting, the MLAs were reportedly taken to the Dumargarhi Guest House in Khunti in two buses by Chief Minister Hemant Soren. According to political observers, the exercise is a message to the BJP. “UPA MLAs are intact and there is no threat to the government. Congress MLAs are with Hemant Soren,” said state Congress in-charge Avinash Pandey, who has already reached Ranchi.
It is widely believed that Soren may take these MLAs to neighbouring Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh or some other destination to avert any possible horse-trading by the BJP. JMM insiders told this paper that they were compelled to resort to ‘resort politics’ to protect their government from possible horse-trading. Newly elected Rajya Sabha MP Mahua Maji said it is an effort to keep the MLAs intact in the wake of the BJP’s ‘Operation Lotus’.