Ranchi: Even as Enforcement Directorate noose tightens around Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren, plans are afoot to make his wife Kalpana Soren the chief minister. The ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has asked all the party MLAs and that of its alliance partners Congress and RJD to stay in state capital in view of the political situation till further instructions.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey has claimed that Kalpana Soren may replace husband Hemant and its for this purpose only the alliance MLAs have been instructed to remain in Ranchi.
In the 81 member assembly JMM has 30, Congress 16, RJD 1
In the 81 member assembly JMM has 30, Congress 16, RJD 1 while Opposition BJP has 25, Jharkhand Vikas Morcha 3, All Jharkhand Students Union 2 and others 4.
.jpg)
Hemant Soren's whereabouts is still not known even as he has communicated to the ED officials that he will be available for questioning in Ranchi on Wednesday.
Vinod Kumar Pandey said all MLAs of ruling alliance have been asked to stay in Ranchi
JMM general secretary and spokesperson Vinod Kumar Pandey told PTI that all the MLAs of the ruling alliance have been asked to stay in Ranchi in view of the current political situation.
"They will meet on Tuesday to discuss future course of action", Singh said. Asked if the CM has returned to Ranchi, Singh expressed ignorance. The ruling party legislators had remained at the residence of the chief minister till late night on Monday in the wake of the ED team visiting Soren's residence in Delhi.
ED on Monday had raided the New Delhi residence of the chief minister but Soren was not traceable. Earlier ED officials had asked Soren to communicate his availability either on January 29 or 31 for questioning in the money-laundering case in the alleged land scam. After he failed to respond, the agency visited his Delhi residence but returned empty handed.
He will be available for questioning on January 31
Later Soren communicated to the probe agency that he will be available for questioning on January 31 at 1 PM in Ranchi.
All the legislators of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-led ruling alliance in Jharkhand have been asked not to leave the state capital Ranchi and to attend a meeting on Tuesday to discuss the current political situation in the state, a JMM official said. The meeting, proposed at the CM House, has been called to discuss strategy over the current political situation and the Enforcement Directorate's proposed questioning of Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Wednesday, he said.
Dubey said Hemant has called all allied MLAs to reach Ranchi
Dubey said Hemant has called all allied MLAs to reach Ranchi "with their luggage". In a post on X, Dubey queried how a man who is absconding will protect the people of the state.
"A big advice to those who are doing wrong on the instructions of Chief Minister Hemant Soren ji, the CM is proving himself to be a fugitive, running away from facing the investigating agency, the man is facing insults in the country and abroad all day long. How will that man protect the officers or the people of the state?" he said.
"Hemant Soren ji has called his own, JMM, Congress and allied MLAs to reach Ranchi with their luggage and bags. According to the information, there is a proposal to make Kalpana Soren ji (Hemant Soren's wife) the Chief Minister. The CM has said that fearing an ED interrogation, they will reach Ranchi by road and announce their arrival," he added.
JMM general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya said that CM Soren was ready to appear before the Enforcement Directorate on January 31 in connection with a money-laundering case linked to an alleged land scam.
'CM has gone to Delhi for personal work'
"CM has gone to Delhi for personal work, and he will return as well. He has been called on January 31. We are ready for January 31. You asked us to tell you the place and time, and we told you the place would be CM's residence on Kanke Road and the time would be 1 pm. Who is creating all the confusion, then? The way the political situation is being presented is against democratic values," Bhattacharya said.
Earlier, ED had written to Jharkhand CM asking him to provide a date for questioning on January 29 or 31, or else the agency itself will go to him for questioning, in connection with a money-laundering case linked to an alleged land scam.
(With agency inputs)
