Jharkhand: CM Hemant Soren calls meeting of all UPA MLAs

Amid speculation over the disqualification of chief minister Hemant Soren from the Jharkhand state assembly, he has called a meeting of UPA coalition MLAs at his residence in Ranchi on Friday.

The meeting is slated this morning before noon.

State Congress President Rajesh Thakur confirmed the details and said that the meeting comes amid the recent political developments in the state.

Leaders including Thakur, CLP Leader Alamgir Alam, all four ministers from Congress quota in the Jharkhand government and a few MLAs are expected to be present at the meeting.

"We've (Jharkhand Congress MLAs) been instructed, keeping in mind the recent political developments and speculations in Jharkhand, to be available in Ranchi. We've (UPA MLAs) been called at 11 am tomorrow for another meeting at CM's residence" said Jharkhand Congress MLA, Purnima Niraj Singh said.

The meeting comes a day after CM Soren denied receiving any communication from the Election Commission of India (ECI) or Governor Ramesh Bais on statements about the poll body "recommending his disqualification as an MLA."

The Chief Minister's office released a statement on Thursday after several media reports speculated that the ECI has sent a report to the governor about Soren's disqualification.

"The Chief Minister is apprised of several media reports about ECI sending a report to Honorable Governor -Jharkhand 'apparently recommending his disqualification as an MLA'. No communication in this regard has been received by CMO from either ECI or Governor," read the statement.

Meanwhile, Jharkhand Governor Ramesh Bais cleared the air surrounding Raj Bhawan receiving the opinion of ECI on chief minister Hemant Soren on the office of profit matter and said, "I do not know anything as of now about any order for me. I had gone to AIIMS for treatment, I can only say anything after I reach Rajbhawan."

The Jharkhand chief minister also launched an attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party and accused the BJP leaders of drafting the ECI reports themselves.

"It apparently seems that BJP leaders including a BJP MP and his puppet journalists have themselves drafted the ECI report, which is otherwise a sealed cover report. This blatant misuse of constitutional authorities and public agencies and its complete takeover by BJP HQ in Deendayal Upadhyay Marg in this shameful manner is unseen in Indian Democracy," added the statement.

The trail of events gained pace after Nishikant Dubey, BJP Member of Parliament from Godda, Jharkhand, tweeted that the letter from the ECI has reached the Raj Bhavan.

The hearing in the Hemant Soren mine leasing case, in which the BJP has accused him of extending himself a mining lease and sought his disqualification as an MLA, was concluded in the ECI on Monday.

(ANI)

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