Hemant Soren calls 4 ministers back from Chhattisgarh

RANCHI: Four Congress ministers in the group of 33 corralled by Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren at a resort in Chhattisgarh's Naya Raipur were summoned back to Ranchi on Wednesday, a day ahead of a cabinet meeting to firm up the JMM-led coalition's strategy to stave off any threat to the government.
While RJD minister Satyanand Bhokta escorted the quartet of Rameshwar Oraon, Alamgir Alam, Banna Gupta and Badal Patralekh back to the state capital, JVM-P legislator Pradep Yadav was flown to Raipur to join the MLAs camping in the resort since Tuesday. The political turmoil started with speculation about the governor receiving a recommendation from the Election Commission to disqualify Soren as an MLA in the office-of-profit case.
"We have seen how BJP has been responsible for the debacle of elected governments in Maharashtra, Karnataka, MP, Goa, but Jharkhand can't be a soft target for them," said Alam. "All this trouble is linked to Raj Bhavan not clearing the air on the EC's verdict on the CM's assembly membership." He said the stalemate was aimed at giving BJP time to indulge in horse-trading.
BJP contested the allegation, saying picnics and "resort politics" by the coalition was meant to deflect attention from its failures. "Our contention in the plea to the EC was about the office of profit he holds (an alleged mining lease) and corruption. If reports are to be believed, he is set to be disqualified any time," BJP spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo said.