The Cabinet on Thursday gave its nod for the revocation of the President’s Rule prevailing in Jharkhand since January. President’s Rule in Jharkhand will come to an end on July 18.
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MLA Hemant Soren, son of former Chief Minister Shibu Soren, had on Tuesday staked a claim to form a coalition government in the State with the support of the Congress and the Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD).
The Congress had earlier this month announced its support for a JMM-led government in the State in return for an alliance with the party in the 2014 general elections in five States.
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JMM leaders said they expected Mr. Hemant Soren to be invited by Governor Syed Ahmed to take oath on Saturday. At least three MLAs — one each from between the Congress and the RJD and Mr. Hemant Soren — are expected to be appointed. An MLA representing a smaller regional party could also get a berth in the 12-member Cabinet. A coordination committee consisting of leaders from the three parties is expected to be constituted after the government is formed, said State Congress leaders.
“We are looking at this as an opportunity to resolve the problems of employment among youth. The JMM will form a policy to recruit more than 2 lakh tribal youth — and those who have domicile here — in grade III and IV categories in government,” said JMM general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya. “This will help bring youth recruited by Maoists back into the mainstream,” he added.
Mr. Bhattcharya dismissed the criticism that several MLAs in the proposed coalition government were evading arrest in corruption cases. Among prominent JMM MLAs, Sita Soren, the daughter-in-law of Shibu Soren, faces charges in the 2012 cash-for-votes scam under Sections 13(2) and 13(1)(D) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, for allegedly receiving Rs. 1.5 crore to vote for industrialist R.K. Agarwal, an Independent candidate in the elections to the Rajya Sabha last March. A special CBI court had issued a second notice against Ms. Soren on July 8.
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JMM MLA Nalin Soren, a former Agriculture Minister , is one of nine accused in the 2007 seeds scam case.
“The arrest warrant against JMM MLA Nalin Soren had already been quashed. Regarding Sita Soren, we will take recourse to the legal procedure and she may surrender and apply for provisional bail,” said Mr. Bhattacharya.
Besides the JMM MLAs, Congress MLA Sawna Lakra is in jail after being convicted by a Ranchi court last month for murder and more than 10 JMM, Congress, RJD MLAs are under the CBI scanner for their alleged role in the cash-for-votes scams relating to Rajya Sabha elections in 2010 and 2012.
The Cabinet on Thursday gave its nod for the revocation of the President’s Rule prevailing in Jharkhand since January. President’s Rule in Jharkhand will come to an end on July 18.
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MLA Hemant Soren, son of former Chief Minister Shibu Soren, had on Tuesday staked a claim to form a coalition government in the State with the support of the Congress and the Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD).
The Congress had earlier this month announced its support for a JMM-led government in the State in return for an alliance with the party in the 2014 general elections in five States.
JMM leaders said they expected Mr. Hemant Soren to be invited by Governor Syed Ahmed to take oath on Saturday. At least three MLAs — one each from between the Congress and the RJD and Mr. Hemant Soren — are expected to be appointed. An MLA representing a smaller regional party could also get a berth in the 12-member Cabinet. A coordination committee consisting of leaders from the three parties is expected to be constituted after the government is formed, said State Congress leaders.
“We are looking at this as an opportunity to resolve the problems of employment among youth. The JMM will form a policy to recruit more than 2 lakh tribal youth — and those who have domicile here — in grade III and IV categories in government,” said JMM general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya. “This will help bring youth recruited by Maoists back into the mainstream,” he added.
Mr. Bhattcharya dismissed the criticism that several MLAs in the proposed coalition government were evading arrest in corruption cases. Among prominent JMM MLAs, Sita Soren, the daughter-in-law of Shibu Soren, faces charges in the 2012 cash-for-votes scam under Sections 13(2) and 13(1)(D) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, for allegedly receiving Rs. 1.5 crore to vote for industrialist R.K. Agarwal, an Independent candidate in the elections to the Rajya Sabha last March. A special CBI court had issued a second notice against Ms. Soren on July 8.
JMM MLA Nalin Soren, a former Agriculture Minister , is one of nine accused in the 2007 seeds scam case.
“The arrest warrant against JMM MLA Nalin Soren had already been quashed. Regarding Sita Soren, we will take recourse to the legal procedure and she may surrender and apply for provisional bail,” said Mr. Bhattacharya.
Besides the JMM MLAs, Congress MLA Sawna Lakra is in jail after being convicted by a Ranchi court last month for murder and more than 10 JMM, Congress, RJD MLAs are under the CBI scanner for their alleged role in the cash-for-votes scams relating to Rajya Sabha elections in 2010 and 2012.