In a big relief for the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), the Jharkhand government led by Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Monday won the trust vote in the 81-member Assembly, with 48 members voting in support of the ruling coalition. The Opposition staged a walkout.
It was for the first time that a ruling coalition government in Jharkhand had moved a confidence motion to prove its majority in the House. With Mr. Soren winning the trust vote, the political stalemate that had prevailed in Jharkhand appears to have drawn to a close.
During the debate over the confidence motion, the Chief Minister slammed the BJP, saying, “It [the BJP] only does power politics and Hindu-Muslim politics, but I am the son of Shibu Soren and I will not be cowed down. People purchase commodities in the market, but the BJP buys legislators.”
He proclaimed that the BJP will be wiped out in the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
The MLAs of the BJP and the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU), along with two Independent legislators, walked out of the House during the voting but participated in the debate over the confidence motion.
“It is to escape from the grave charges made against him that Chief Minister Hemant Soren had brought in the confidence motion in the House,” AJSU president Sudesh Mahto told reporters.
“They have brought the confidence motion out of fear and nothing else,” BJP MLA Neelkanth Singh Munda said.
On Sunday evening, over 31 UPA MLAs, who were staying at a resort in Raipur in Chhattisgarh since August 30, returned to Ranchi to vote in favour of the confidence motion.
Amid fear of poaching by the BJP, UPA MLAs on August 27 had stayed at the guest house near Latratu Dam in Khunti district for the day.
The Speaker, Rabindra Nath Mahto, later announced that 48 members had voted for the ruling UPA government and subsequently adjourned the House sine die.
The suspense over Mr. Soren’s disqualification from the State Assembly started on February 10 this year, when former CM Raghuvar Das raised a complaint with Governor Ramesh Bais. The very next day, the BJP demanded Mr. Soren’s disqualification for securing the lease of a stone mine in his name while being the State’s Minister for Mines in 2021.
Later, the Election Commission of India (ECI) sent a notice on the case to the Governor, stating that Mr. Soren’s membership would be disqualified. The matter is ongoing.
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