Jharkhand crisis: JMM, Congress MLAs moved to Chhattisgarh amid poaching fears

Even as uncertainty remains over Chief Minister Hemant Soren's fate as an MLA, the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-Congress coalition is moving its legislators out of the state in an attempt to thwart any possible attempt of poaching by the opposition BJP. Reports said the MLAs are likely to be shifted to Raipur in neighbouring Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh.

Jharkhand has plunged into a political crisis after the Election Commission, reportedly, recommended the disqualification of Soren in an office-of-profit case.  The commission has sent its opinion to Governor Ramesh Bais on August 25, but the Raj Bhavan is yet to take a decision on it.

The BJP, the petitioner in the case, has sought Soren's disqualification for violating Section 9 (A) of the Representation of the People Act. Soren is accused of violating electoral norms by extending a mining lease to himself.

Soren's JMM believes that the BJP may make a serious attempt to poach MLAs from it and from the Congress in a bid to topple the government in a manner similar to Maharashtra and there is a need to ringfence the legislators in a safe haven.

The chief minister held a key meeting of the ruling legislators at his residence on Tuesday before they left for the airport.

The ruling coalition has 49 MLAs in the 81-member Assembly. The JMM, the largest party, has 30 MLAs, the Congress 18 legislators, and the RJD one. The main opposition BJP has 26 MLAs in the House.