‘Soren Will Remain Jharkhand CM’: Coalition Lawmakers Rule Out Change Of Guard After Meeting

New Delhi: Ruling out any possibility of a change of guard, legislators of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-Congress-Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) coalition said Chief Minister Hemant Soren will continue to hold the state’s top post. Speaking to the media after a legislative party meeting in Ranchi, the lawmakers of the ruling coalition said they stand united behind CM Soren and there is no threat to the present government.

“The legislative party meeting was held and we held discussions on the conspiracies against us and how to face them. We will form the government in 2024 again with stronger mandate,” senior JMM leader, Mithilesh Thakur, who holds the drinking water and sanitation portfolio, told news agency PTI after the meeting.

VIDEO | “The legislative party meeting was held and we held discussions on the conspiracies against us and how to face them. We will form the government in 2024 again with stronger mandate,” says Jharkhand minister Mithilesh Kumar Thakur after attending the legislative party… pic.twitter.com/33TL1ykaAu

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 3, 2024

CM Hemant Soren has been in the eye of a political storm since he received the seventh summon from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with its probe into a case relating to land deal.

“He has responded to the 7th summon sent by the ED. Since Hemant Soren has formed the government, they (BJP) have put in all their efforts to overthrow the government. He has said he’s ready to fight. There is no doubt that he will continue to be the CM of Jharkhand. The tense situation created by BJP is all a hoax,” JMM MP Mahua Manjhi told news agency ANI.

JMM spokesperson and general secretary, Vinod Pandey said CM Soren has responded to the ED summons and there is no “plan B or C”.

The meeting was chaired by CM Soren to discuss the ongoing political upheaval in the state.

“The government will continue to run without any difficulty. The BJP is doing its work, we are doing ours. There will be no change,” Congress MLA Ramchandra Singh told PTI.

VIDEO | “The government will continue to run without any difficulty. The BJP is doing its work, we are doing ours. There will be no change,” says Congress MLA Ramchandra Singh after attending the legislative party meeting in Ranchi called by Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren. pic.twitter.com/fgWuGXSm4X

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 3, 2024

Notably, CM Soren skipped six earlier ED summons and accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of using the central agencies to destabilise his democratically elected government.