Jharkhand: Champai Soren to Take Oath as Jharkhand CM on Friday, Asked to Prove Majority in 10 Days

Ranchi: After a day of uncertainty since Hemant Soren's arrest, the Jharkhand Governor on Thursday invited Leader of JMM Legislative Party Champai Soren to form the state government. Champai has been asked to prove his majority by Governor C. P. Radhakrishnan on the floor of the Assembly within 10 days. After Hemant Soren tendered his resignation, the Jharkhand cabinet has also been dissolved. New cabinet ministers will take oath. If Champai wins the Confidence Motion, then rest of the cabinet will also take oath subsequently.

Earlier in the day, political crisis was brewing in Jharkhand as JMM leader and former CM Hemant Soren was arrested by Enforcement Directorate (ED) after resigning as the Chief Minister. After Hemant Soren, state transport minister and Shibu Soren loyalist, Champai Soren's name was proposed as the CM. Hemant, in a letter, had directed Champai to be the head of the Legislative Party in case he was arrested. Meanwhile, the MLAs from the ruling alliance, who were being shifted to Hyderabad in a bid to prevent horse-trading, have returned back to Circuit House after the flight was cancelled due to fog.

Number Game

According to top sources, as many as 13 MLAs are missing. Earlier, Champai Soren had claimed that few MLAs were not present as they were admitted to the hospital.

HIGHLIGHTS - JHARKHAND GETS NEW CM 

• Champai Soren Calls Meeting of MLAs: Soren has called upon all MLAs from his party, which is the single-largest party, to be present
• The governor's Principal Secretary Nitin Madan Kulkarni told PTI: We have invited him to take oath. Now they will decide when to take it.
• Flight Only Delayed, Claims Congress MLA: “The flight has not been cancelled, it has been rescheduled. More than 40 members (of the JMM-led coalition) were on the flight,” says Ambala Prasad

• Jharkhand Minister Banna Gupta says, “We could not go because of poor visibility. We will fight against them (BJP)”

• MLAs Returning Back to Circuit House: All the MLAs have come out of the plane. Now, they are going to the Circuit House.
• Jharkhand MLAs' flight will not take off due to fog - Flight not taking off due to fog.  Vehicles of MLAs arrive at airport. MLAs to return back to Circuit House

• Jharkhand Congress President Rajesh Thakur Confident That Mahagathbandan Will Prevail: "3-4 MLAs will stay in Ranchi to keep a watch here. We have enough numbers to form the government...All 43 MLAs are together, we have full confidence...We will keep meeting the Governor until he calls us to form the Govt...,"said Thakur

• Unprecedented scenes at Ranchi Airport: Jharkhand Congress president Rajesh Thakur said, "We are going to the airport. You know what kind of people they are, they can do anything anytime. A total of 43 MLAs are going..."

• Contempt of Constitution: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge Attacks Governor - “In the House of 81 MLAs, only 41 are majority. Despite having the support of 48 MLAs, not inviting Champai Soren ji to form the government is clearly contempt of the Constitution and denial of public opinion. Nails are being driven one by one into the coffin of Indian democracy by their Excellencies.”
• JMM MLAs Leave for Airport in Bus: Jharkhand, which has turned into a headless, witnessed the mass exodus of JMM MLAs from the state. 

• 'Governor Assured Us That Process of Govt Formation Will Begin Soon':  “We have demanded from the Governor that the process to start the formation of the new Government should begin. The Governor has also assured us that the process will begin soon,” said Champai Soren.

• On Missing MLAs, JMM's CM Face Champai Soren Said: “Few are in hospital, they will be back soon. We have enough MLAs to form the government. Around 47 legislators are with us.”
• Independent MLA Saryu Rai to Republic: It is a very unique situation. Ideally, President's rule should have been imposed till the time a new government is imposed. Ideally, Champai Soren should have staked claim to the government yesterday after Hemant Soren's resignation. Right now, Jharkhand is a headless government."
• Champai Soren Leaves Raj Bhavan: Speaking to reporters after meeting the governor, Champai claimed his party has the majority to form the government. 
• Champai Soren Reaches Governor House Amid Political Uncertainty - Amid news of Congress MLAs of missing, the magic number is 41 in 81-member Vidhan Sabha. Even though Champai claims that he has the letter of support from 43 MLAs, BJP leader from Chhattisgarh Nishikant Dubey said that only 35 MLAs are with Champai.
• One Day Judicial Custody For Hemant Soren: Former Jharkhand CM and JMM executive president Hemant Soren leaves from PMLA Court in Ranchi. Hemant Soren has been sent to judicial custody for one day.

• PMLA Court to Decide Hemant Soren's Immediate Fate Tomorrow: ED demands 10 days remand of former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren but the order has been reserved; next hearing to take place tomorrow

• Jharkhand without government since Hemant Soren resigned: Have support of 47 MLAs and letter of support from 43 MLAs, says Champai Soren
• Champai Soren (JMM), Pradeep Yadav (JVM),  Satyaband Bhokta (RJD), Vinod Singh (CPIML) , Alamgir Alam (Congress)  will meet Governor at 5.30 pm
• Champai Soren seeks time from Governor: New CM-elect of JMM-led alliance in Jharkhand Champai Soren has sought time from governor at 3pm. He has been asked by the Governor to meet him at the Raj Bhavan at 5:30pm. 
  
   

• Hemant Soren Produced Before PMLA Court: Hemant Soren was produced before a PMLA Court by the Enforcement Directorate on Thursday amid heavy security deployment.
   
• 2 Chartered Planes Booked To Shift MLAs: Two charted planes have been booked to shift MLAs of the ruling coalition out of Jharkhand. JMM-led alliance MLAs will be shifted to Hyderabad to prevent BJP's poaching attempt. 
   
• ED Leaves With Hemant Soren for the Court: ED Officials have left for Court along with Hemant Soren. Former Jharkhand CM and JMM leader Hemant Soren being taken to PMLA Court from the ED office in Ranchi. Hemant Soren will be produced in a court in Ranchi.
   
• Heavy Security Deployed in Ranchi: Amid the ongoing political turmoil, heavy security has been deployed in Jharkhand's Ranchi. “Extensive deployment has been made. The situation is peaceful. Police personnel have been deployed at around 150 places. Over 2,000 police personnel have been deployed,” said Ranchi SSP Chandan Kumar Sinha. 
   
• BREAKING: 13 INDI MLAs Go Incommunicado: 13 MLAs of the ruling coalition in Jharkhand went incommunicado as new CM elect Champai Soren awaits invitation by the Governor to form the government. 
   

• Bus Reaches Guest House: Traveller bus had reached the guest house as MLAs of ruling coalition are expected to be taken to Hyderabad. 
   
• Route Chart Prepared for Presenting Hemant Soren in Court: Route map has been prepared by the ED as it will be presenting Hemant Soren before a court in Ranchi, said sources. Amidst tight security, Hemant Soren will be taken to court. Preparations are underway to take Soren to the court via Heenu Chowk, Birsa Chowk, DBDih, Argora, Harmu, Ratu Road. 
   
• Congress' Jairam Ramesh on ED's Action on Hemant Soren: On Hemant Soren's arrest by the ED, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh said, "This is PM Narendra Modi and Amit Shah's politics of harassment and revenge. We have time and again reiterated that ED and CBI are the brothers of PM Modi, and he is extensively misusing these two agencies... They are doing this to trouble their opponents. This is a strategy and is against democratic politics and the Constitution. We will fight against this. We are not afraid... When they lose in 2024, we will use ED and CBI against them."
   

• Guest House Politics Begins in Jharkhand: All MLAs of the ruling alliance are expected to be flown to Hyderabad amid the ongoing political turmoil in Jharkhand. CM-Elect Champai Soren has the support of 47 MLAs and is still waiting for the Governor's invite to form the government. 
   
• Hemant Soren's Wife Reaches ED Office: Following Hemant Soren's arrest, his wife Kalpana Soren reached the office of Enforcement Directorate. Kalpana Soren was present at ED's official premises for around 20 minutes after which she left from there. 
   
• Supreme Court to Hear Hemant Soren's Petition Tomorrow: The Supreme Court of India will hear former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren's petition on Friday, February 2. Hemant Soren has moved Supreme Court challenging his arrest in money laundering case.
   
• Hemant Soren's Video Message Ahead of Arrest: Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren recorded a video message moments before his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday. 
  "The ED has come to arrest me today. After questioning me for the entire day, they have decided to arrest me in a planned manner, on an issue which is not linked to me. They (ED) found no evidence, they even tried to tarnish my image by conducting raids in Delhi," said Soren in his video message ahead of the arrest. 
   

• Tribal outfits call for Jharkhand Bandh: Several tribal outfits gave a call for Jharkhand bandh on Thursday following Hemant Soren's arrest by ED. Kendriya Sarna Samiti president Ajay Tirkey said 15-20 tribal organisations from across the state will join the shutdown, adding that emergency services would not be hampered by the shutdown.
• Hemant Soren to produced in Court today:  ED is expected to produce Hemant Soren before a special PMLA court in Ranchi on Thursday and the agency will seek his remand for custodial interrogation, said sources. 
• Who is Champai Soren: Born in November 1956 at Jilinggora village in Jharkhand's Seraikela-Kharsawan district, Champai Soren is a matriculate and father of seven children. He is the son of a farmer and is not related to the Hemant Soren's family.
• Hemant Soren tenders his resignation: After ED's questioning, Hemant Soren tendered his resignation to Governor CP Radhakrishnan at the Raj Bhavan, where he went along with alliance legislators.