Jharkhand Guv invites JMM-led alliance at 5.30 pm; Champai Soren says 'confusion' in state

Ranchi: Jharkhand Governor CP Radhakrishnan invited the JMM-led alliance leaders for a meeting at 5.30 pm on Thursday, amid concerns among the ruling coalition over the delay in the appointment of JMM legislative party leader Champai Soren as the next chief minister.

Champai Soren, in a letter to the governor, said Hemant Soren had tendered his resignation as the chief minister on Wednesday night, which was accepted by the Raj Bhavan at 8.45 pm.

"There is no government in existence in the state for the last 18 hours. There is a situation of confusion...You are the constitutional head...We all the MLAs and the people expect that you will pave the way for the formation of a popular government...", the letter to the governor said.

Earlier in the day, state Congress chief Rajesh Thakur told PTI, "JMM legislature party leader Champai Soren, who is leading the alliance, has sought time from the governor at 3 pm today to prove the majority." The governor allotted time to the JMM-led alliance in the state at 5.30 pm, a Raj Bhavan official said.

Jharkhand Transport Minister Champai Soren was named as JMM legislative party leader on Wednesday, after which he met the governor and staked a claim to form the new government in the state with the support of 47 legislators.

Claiming that the Governor told them that he would get back to them after reviewing all the papers, the alliance leaders expressed concerns over the delay.

"We are unaware of the reasons for the delay...In case the Raj Bhawan delays in extending an invitation to the alliance to form a government, lawmakers will fly to Hyderabad, in a bid to thwart any attempt of the opposition BJP to poach them," Thakur told PTI.

Sources in the ruling coalition also said steps were being taken to shift its MLAs to Hyderabad to prevent any poaching attempt by the BJP.

Two chartered planes - one 12-seater and another of 37 seats - have been booked for shifting our legislators to Hyderabad, sources said.

Meanwhile, Hemant Soren, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate after over seven hours of questioning in a money laundering case, was produced before a PMLA court here.

The 48-year-old JMM leader has also moved the Supreme Court challenging his arrest. He had first moved the state high court but decided to withdraw his petition from there and approached the top court.