Jharkhand: UPA delegation ‘puts pressure on governor’ to end silence on EC verdict

RANCHI: A UPA delegation’s meeting with governor Ramesh Bais on Thursday amid the ongoing political crisis in Jharkhand is seen as the ruling coalition parties’ attempt to further exert pressure on the Raj Bhavan to end the silence on chief minister Hemant Soren’s office-of-profit case and to work out an “honourable” return plan for its MLAs from Chhattisgarh.
While Soren called four Congress ministers back to Ranchi for Thursday’s cabinet meeting within 24 hours of sending the 33 lawmakers to Raipur, sources in the UPA told TOI that the remaining MLAs will continue to stay at the resort in Chhattisgarh’s Raipur.
Meanwhile, a veteran Congress leader, who is in Raipur, said, “So far we have succeeded in setting a national narrative against BJP and constantly put pressure on the Raj Bhavan to speak up on the EC letter concerning the chief minister’s office-of-profit case which it reportedly received on August 25. At the same time, we ought to have an honourable return plan.
Hence, it was decided that we confront the governor through a delegation, asking him to clear the air. Meeting the governor was a planned move after putting in efforts for the last three days it happened today and it is better late than never.”
He added, “Finally, the governor has conceded that the EC letter has come and he will take a call within four days after legal consultations. The ball is officially in the Raj Bhavan’s court now and we can justify that we are working hard to keep our flocks together due to the poaching attempts by BJP. So, this is our first big victory after a series of meetings, a picnic and a joint press meet of the UPA on Sunday night asking the Raj Bhavan to clear the air.”
Another insider in the Congress party, currently engaged in a liaison with JMM, said currently 29 MLAs are in Raipur. On how long MLAs will be in Raipur and if the CM and remaining JMM ministers will also head there, he said, “At least for a day or two, the MLAs will be asked to continue their stay in Raipur.”