Power Play In Jharkhand
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By Our Editorial Team
First publised on 2024-02-03 06:05:35
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The India Commentary view
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Jharkhand Governor C P Radhakrishnan finally invited Champai Soren to take oath as chief minister of the state on Friday, two days after Hemanta Soren resigned. There was no need to keep the state on tenterhooks as it was a clear case of a replacement necessitated by the resignation of the sitting chief minister as he was going to be arrested by the ED. There was no break-up in the ruling alliance nor was the governor approached by any group of MLAs claiming so. Hence it was wrong on part of the governor to keep Champai Soren waiting and leave the state without any effective administration for two days.
The arrest of Hemant Soren in the corruption case was foretold as he was not cooperating with the agency. He had ignored multiple summons and had even 'vanished' when the agency tried to locate him before resurfacing in Ranchi and allowing the ED to question him. The corruption charges are serious and it is for the courts to decide whether arrest at this point of time (just 10 months before the assembly elections) was legally correct or whether it was once more a tactic to put pressure on an opposition leader by the Centre through agencies it controls.
The JMM-Congress alliance, however, has not taken any chances and has sequestered 38 (out of 48) MLAs in Hyderabad in Congress-ruled Telangana. As the BJP had created a buzz by claiming that some JMM MLAs had approached it to change sides, the alliance is trying to keep its house in order. Champai Soren is likely to prove the majority of his government on the floor of the house on February 5. Till then, political uncertainty will remain in a state that has always been politically unstable. Except BJPs Raghubar Das, no chief minister has completed his term. Three chief ministers - Shibu Soren, Madhu Koda and now Hemanta Soren were arrested. There were other scandals too like the cash-for-votes scandal that rocked the state. Hence, it is difficult to predict how long the Champai Soren government will last.
