NEW DELHI: As many as 32 MLAs of the ruling alliance in Jharkhand left for Raipur on Tuesday amid growing differences between the partners JMM and Congress over how to tide over the crisis following reports that the Election Commission has decided to disqualify Chief Minister Hemant Soren for holding an office of profit.
This correspondent was the first to break the news on Monday night that they will be shifted to Raipur the next day. The decision on Raipur was taken after two days of a tussle between the two parties. Soren wanted to send them to Kolkata. But Congress forced him to send them to Chhattisgarh, a state ruled by the party.
Soren had argued that since Kolkata was closer to his constituency Dumka, it would be easier for him to look after the MLAs. Soren shares an excellent rapport with his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee, whom he had reportedly sounded out about his plan to move the MLAs to her state. But the Congress flatly refused to allow Mamata to have any role in the matter.
It told Soren that MLAs have to be taken either to Raipur or to Jaipur. Differences have al s o emerged over Soren’s plan to stay in Ranchi along with the ministers, including four belonging to the Congress, so that the government continues to function smoothly.
Congress is opposed to the idea. An exasperated CM has complained to Rahul Gandhi about the problems faced by him, especially about the role of Congress general secretary in charge of Jharkhand Avinash Pande. Pande’s statements and actions have brought the difference between the two parties into the public domain.
Pande has had a chequered history as an AICC manager. He was AICC general secretary in charge of Rajasthan when Sachin Pilot walked out with 22 MLAs. When Pilot returned to Jaipur after his failed coup, one of his conditions was the removal of Pande as state in-charge, as the latter had aligned completely with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. Pande was then dropped as party general secretary.
BJP tries to fish in troubled waters
Hoping to exploit the growing schism, the BJP claimed the chief minister would be ousted and asked the ruling alliance MLAs to support a BJP-led government.