Soren enjoys boat ride with UPA ministers near Latratu dam

Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], August 27 (ANI): Soon after the meeting of Jharkhand’s ruling UPA coalition members, amidst speculation about Hemant Soren’s possible disqualification as an MLA in the state assembly for allegedly violating poll norms by extending himself a mining lease, the UPA leaders along with the CM were seen having a quality time at the Latratu dam in Khunti district of the state.
Two Volvo buses carrying MLAs of the JMM-led ruling alliance were seen leaving the CM’s residence earlier this afternoon after a meeting of the UPA legislators.

However, all the MLAs have returned today, itself.

At the Latratu dam, CM Hemant Soren was seen with UPA MLAs and ministers enjoying a boat ride near the Latratu dam.
He was seen taken to a guest house near the Latratu dam in the Khunti district where the leaders had arrived from Ranchi.
Meanwhile, the Jharkhand Congress Legislative Party held a meeting this evening with State Congress Incharge Avinash Pande presiding.

“All MLAs and ministers have only gathered to discuss the political activities that went down in the past few days. We are here to discuss the matter and reach some conclusion on it,” Pande said after the meeting concluded.

In the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly, the ruling alliance has 30 MLAs of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), 18 MLAs of the Congress and one MLA of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).
Earlier on Saturday, Chief Minister Hemant Soren had called a meeting of the state’s ruling UPA coalition members, amidst speculation about his possible disqualification as an MLA in the state assembly for allegedly violating poll norms by extending himself a mining lease. This was the third meeting in two days. Several MLAs were seen arriving for the meeting with luggage in tow.
There is speculation that the MLAs will be taken to Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh. Prior to the meeting at Soren’s house, the Congress Jharkhand president Rajesh Thakur said that all the MLAs have been asked to come prepared.
“I have no information about this. MLAs are coming with luggage for the meeting because they have been asked to be ready. We will let you know if MLAs are asked to shift somewhere,” Thakur said.
The Congress had blamed the BJP for polluting politics in the state. “Jharkhand’s politics is different… BJP is trying to pollute politics here. If EC sends a report in a sealed envelope, it gets leaked even before it’s opened. The alliance government’s recent decisions will affect their (BJP) base in the tribal areas,” Jharkhand Congress working president Bandhu Tirkey told ANI.
Taking a jibe at the Soren-led meeting, BJP leader Nishikant Dubey said, “Even after scrambling, only 33 MLAs could gather in Ranchi.”
Today’s meeting of the MLAs came a day after CM Soren denied receiving any communication from the ECI or Governor Ramesh Bais on the statements about the poll body “recommending his disqualification as an MLA.”
The Chief Minister’s office released a statement on Thursday after several media reports speculated that the ECI has sent a report to the Governor about Soren’s disqualification.
Soren has alleged that the EC report was “drafted” by the principal opposition party in Jharkhand, BJP with its 25 MLAs, to topple the Jharkhand government.
The trail of events gained pace after Nishikant Dubey, BJP Member of Parliament from Godda, Jharkhand, tweeted that a letter from the ECI has reached the Raj Bhavan.
The BJP has sought the disqualification of Soren as an MLA accusing him of allocating a mining lease to himself while he held the portfolio of Mines Minister in 2021.]
In February this year, the BJP submitted a memorandum to the Governor seeking disqualification of Soren from the House under Section 9(A) of the Representation of People’s Act.
The Governor had forwarded the BJP complaint to the ECI and the poll panel in May had issued a notice to the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader. (ANI)