Why were Congress leaders ‘unhappy’
As many as 12 MLAs of the Congress reportedly threatened to boycott the upcoming state assembly session from February 23 and head to Jaipur if four ministers are not replaced with new faces. They were unhappy with the Congress’ decision to give ministerial berths to Alamgir Alam, Rameshwar Oraon, Banna Gupta and Badal Patralekh again, PTI reported.
The disgruntled section of Congress legislators went into a huddle Saturday at a Ranchi hotel. Jharkhand Mukti Morcha’s (JMM) new minister Basant Soren, the youngest son of party supremo Shibu Soren, then reached there to persuade them to change their decision, the report said.
ALSO READ: Congress says BJP tried to topple Jharkhand govt: ‘INDIA bloc did not let them’
Congress legislator Kumar Jaimangal, also known as Anup Singh, told PTI, “We have reached Delhi. Rest will be reaching tomorrow… We will hold discussions with the Congress leadership here… We want replacement of all the four… the 12 MLAs are together barring the four ministers and MLA Pradeep Yadav.”
Meanwhile, Rajesh Kachhap, Congress MLA from Khijri, said, “When JMM can give new faces, why not Congress? Nobody is a king in a democracy. Senior Congress leader and Mahagama MLA Dipika Pandey Singh also said, “We want the party to change the ministers and give opportunity to new faces. Instead of adding more women faces, they have retained one woman minister…How do you justify that.”
The JMM-led alliance in Jharkhand has 47 MLAs (JMM-29, Congress-17 and one RJD) in the 81-member assembly.
Champai-Kharge ‘courtesy call’
CM Champai Soren met Congress Mallikarjun Kharge in Delhi on Sunday. “After forming the government, I came to Delhi for the first time and it was a courtesy meeting,” said CM Champai Soren.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Ghulam Ahmad Mir also said the meeting between the two leaders was just a courtesy call. “There was a change in government (in Jharkhand). Everyone is aware why it had happened. Following the cabinet expansion, the CM wanted to meet the Congress president. It was a courtesy call,” Mir said.
Jharkhand Congress president Rajesh Thakur, AICC general secretary in-charge of the state Ghulam Ahmad Mir and Pranav Jha, among others, were present during Soren’s meeting with Kharge.
‘Alliance strong’
Soren denied speculations on the conflict between the JMM and the Congress. According to PTI, Soren said the JMM-led alliance in Jharkhand is “strong” and there is no threat to the coalition government in the state. On a section of Congress MLAs being disgruntled over the recent cabinet formation, Soren said it was the internal matter of the Congress.
“This is an internal matter of the Congress party, they will solve it on their own. I have nothing to say about that. There is no conflict between JMM and Congress, everything is absolutely fine,” Soren was quoted by PTI as saying before meeting Kharge.
In a post on X after his meeting with Soren, Kharge said, “Today, along with Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren ji and leaders of Jharkhand Congress, we again resolved to fight the dictatorial government (Centre). We will continue our journey of progressive, public welfare and social justice in Jharkhand.”
Jharkhand CM gives go-ahead for caste-based survey
Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren gave nod to a caste-based survey in the state on the lines of the recent exercise in neighbouring Bihar, a senior official was quoted by news agency PTI on Sunday.
“The caste survey will be conducted on the pattern of the study in Bihar, where data collection began on January 7, 2023 and it was released on October 2 last year,” Vinay Kumar Choubey, principal secretary to the chief minister, told PTI. According to the report, Soren directed the personnel department to prepare a draft and place it before the cabinet for approval.
“If everything goes according to plan, the exercise will begin after the Lok Sabha elections,” the official said. Meanwhile, the CM posted on X, indicating the survey: “Jiski Jitni Sankhya Bhari, Uski Utni Hissedari (bigger the population, bigger the share). Jharkhand is ready.”
Arvind Kejriwal speaks with Hemant Soren’s wife
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday that had his former Jharkhand counterpart Hemant Soren joined hands with the BJP, he would not have been in jail. Soren’s wife Kalpana Murmu Soren said Kejriwal had a telephonic conversation with her earlier in the day.
Taking to X, she said, “Today I had a telephonic conversation with honourable Chief Minister of Delhi Shri @ArvindKejriwal ji. Thanks to Arvind ji that at such time he is with Jharkhandi warrior Hemant ji and the JMM family.”
Quoting her post, Kejriwal said he stands in solidarity with Soren.
“Kalpana ji, we fully stand with former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren ji. The whole country praises his strength and courage. How he is facing the atrocities of BJP. If today he had gone with the BJP, he would not have been jailed. But he did not leave the path of truth. Salute to him!” he said in the post in Hindi.
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Published: 18 Feb 2024, 10:31 PM IST