Jharkhand: CM Champai Soren faces floor test today; Hemant Soren in assembly

Jharkhand’s newly sworn-in Chief Minister Champai Soren is all set to prove his party’s majority in the assembly in a floor test on Monday (February 5).

The majority mark in the 81-member assembly is 41.

On Sunday evening, all the MLAs of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led alliance returned to Ranchi from Hyderabad to participate in the floor test.

The JMM, and its allies Congress and RJD had sent off their MLAs to Telangana, a Congress bastion now, to avoid any poaching bid.

‘We are united’

The MLAs of the ruling alliance on their return to Ranchi on Sunday night exuded confidence to win the trust vote in the assembly on Monday.

Soon after their return, the MLAs were were taken to the Circuit House in the city in two buses.

“Our MLAs are united... We have the support of 48 to 50 legislators," minister Alamgir Alam said.

JMM lawmaker Mithilesh Thakur also asserted that the JMM-led coalition will sail through the trust vote.

"Many BJP legislators are also in support of the alliance in the state," he claimed.

Coalition will lose trust vote: BJP

However, Biranchi Narain, Chief Whip of the BJP, said the coalition was set to lose the vote of confidence on Monday.

He said the MLAs in Hyderabad were kept under strict surveillance, which indicates that they were not confident of winning.

The opposition BJP convened its legislature party’s meeting on Sunday to chalk out its strategy in the House.

"The saffron party will oppose the trust motion in the House tomorrow as Champai Soren, after taking oath as chief minister, had said he will take ahead the programmes of the previous Hemant Soren government.

“This reflects it is the Hemant Soren government part 2, which will also indulge in corruption and malpractices," Narayan alleged.

The MLAs of the ruling JMM-led alliance were at a resort in Hyderabad for the past three days before leaving for Ranchi on Sunday evening.

About 38 legislators had gone to Hyderabad in two flights on February 2, amid the coalition's fears that the BJP might attempt to "poach" them in the run-up to the trust vote.

Video claims JMM coalition has support of 43 MLAs

A video released by the coalition on Thursday had claimed the support of 43 legislators in the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly.

The Champai Soren-led alliance government in Jharkhand will seek a vote of confidence on Monday, the first day of the two-day assembly session.

Soren was administered the oath of office by Governor C P Radhakrishnan at the Raj Bhavan on February 2. Along with him, senior Congress leader Alamgir Alam and RJD leader Satyanand Bhokta took oath as ministers.

Champai Soren became chief minister after his predecessor Hemant Soren was arrested by the ED on Wednesday in a money laundering case. A special PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) court has allowed him to participate in the trust vote. Hemant Soren was remanded to ED custody for five days by the court on Friday.

The alliance between the JMM, Congress and RJD has 47 MLAs, and it is supported from outside by a lone CPIML(L) legislator.

(With inputs from agencies)