RANCHI: The sixth Jharkhand Assembly is different in many ways from the previous assemblies. On the first day of the Special Assembly session on Monday, the newly elected MLAs reached the House in different styles. Some arrived barefoot, others were seen bowing their head, and many took their oaths in their regional language.
Jairam Mahto of Jharkhand Loktantrik Kranti Morcha (JKLM), who reached the Jharkhand Assembly barefoot, bowed his head on the frame of the Assembly door before entering the House. Jairam has been elected MLA for the first time from Dumri seat.
Explaining the reason behind entering the House barefoot, Jairam Mahto said, “I am a farmer's son and just like a farm is for a farmer, Vidhan Sabha is for me. When we go to the farm, we go barefoot, therefore I have reached the House barefoot as well.”
Though the JKLM was able to win only one seat, it has made its strong presence felt in the Northern and Southern Chotanagpur Divisions of Jharkhand. JKLM contested 71 out of 81 assembly elections and caused damage to both the alliances – INDIA bloc and NDA.
Ghatsila MLA and School Education Minister Ramdas Soren took oath in Santhali language, Giridih MLA and Urban Development Minister Sudivya Kumar Sonu took oath in Khortha, Jamtara MLA and Health Minister Irfan Ansari took oath in Bengala while Madhupur MLA and Water Resources Minister Hafizul Hasan took oath in Urdu.
Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Department Minister Shilpi Neha Tirkey was seen holding the Constitution Book in her hand while taking oath as the MLA from Mandar.
This time, 21 of the members, just over one fourth, are first-time MLAs.
Four parties have a solitary member in the Assembly, one MLA each from JDU, LJP (R), AJSU Party and JLKM. Interestingly, this is the first time in the last 20 years that the Jharkhand Assembly doesn't have any independent member.
Moreover, the Jharkhand Assembly this time consists of only 81 members, as the practice of nominating a representative from the Anglo-Indian community — historically designated as the 82nd member of the House — has been discontinued.
Later, Chief Minister Hemant Soren took oath as MLA, following which, other 79 MLAs took oath one by one. Before that, as soon as the proceeding of the House started, Stephen Marandi was appointed as the Protem Speaker.
Then Stephen Marandi informed the members about the process of appointment of the permanent speaker in the House.
The 81-member House includes 34 MLAs from JMM, 21 from BJP, 16 from Congress, 4 from RJD and 2 from CPI-ML.