BJP slams Jharkhand cabinet's approval for hiring aircraft

Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], September 2 : Amid the ongoing turbulence in Jharkhand, former chief minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Babulal Marandi on Friday slammed the state government's decision to hire a chartered aircraft for a month to facilitate the travel of VIPs.
Hitting out at the JMM, Marandi claimed that Chief Minister Soren was "afraid of his own MLAs" and that his government had not done much work.
"You must have seen earlier also the manner in which MLA and those leaders having different opinion were taken to have picnic. Even they were taken to Raipur as if there was fear of their escape. Now chartered plane has been hired so that they (MLAs) can be taken at various places when needed. This is beyond anyone's comprehension...this is completely misuse of public's money," said Marandi hitting out at the Soren government.
"He (CM Hemant Soren) is afraid of his own MLAs because in the 32 months since coming into power they have done no work," he alleged.
The Jharkhand cabinet took the decision on Thursday, that aircraft will be hired on the nomination basis on the payment of Rs 2.06 Crore. The charter aircraft for a month's duration will facilitate the travel of VIPs/VVIPs to undertake government business.
The state cabinet has also approved for a day-long Assembly session to be held on September 5. Through the one-day assembly session, we want to tell the public about the work done by our govt. What's there to prove majority, when ours is a majority govt," said Jharkhand Health Minister and Congress leader Banna Gupta.
As per reports, the ruling coalition is expected to bring a vote of confidence motion supporting Chief Minister Hemant Soren in the assembly.
Earlier on Thursday, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) MLAs of Jharkhand urged Governor Ramesh Bais to "clear the air" on the speculation concerning the "opinion received from the Election Commission" by his office "to disqualify" Chief Minister Hemant Soren as an MLA for alleged violation of electoral norms.
In a letter to Bais, the MLAs said they are surprised that since August 25 media reports are "citing sources" from the Governor's office claiming that "opinion under Article 192 of the Constitution has been received from the Election Commission of India to disqualify Hemant Soren as an MLA from the Barhet constituency".
The letter said news reports have been stating that a decision under Article 192(1) of the Constitution by the Governor of Jharkhand for disqualifying Hemant Soren under the Representation of People Act, 1951 is likely to be issued and communicated very soon.
The letter said that the news items are being reported as "being leaked" from Governor's office and said "such leaks" are creating a state of "chaos and uncertainty which vitiates the administration" and also "encourages political brinkmanship to destabilize the democratically elected government".
"You will appreciate that such news is being sensationalized in the local and national print and electronic/media creating an atmosphere of political uncertainty and encouraging rumours of all hues and kinds. All these news items are being reported as being leaked from Your Excellency's Office and this is really unfortunate since the Office of Governor being a constitutional office, the public have very high regard for the same and even a false rumour coming out of the office is taken at its face value to be correct," the MLAs said.
"The purported selective leaks from Your Excellency's office are creating a state of chaos, confusion and uncertainty which vitiates the administration and governance of the state. This also encourages political brinkmanship to destabilize the democratically elected Government headed by Hemant Soren, the Chief Minister by illegal means," the letter added.
The letter said that although the Governor is yet to declare the opinion which has been given "in confidence" by the Election Commission, "BJP has made public the opinion and is demanding the resignation of the Chief Minister, mid-term polls etc".
"As you are undoubtedly aware, disqualification, if any, of the Chief Minister will not have any effect on the Government as the JMM -INC-RJD-Independents coalition will still enjoy overwhelming majority in the state assembly," it said.
The MLAs urged the Governor to declare any opinion received from the Election Commission.
We request your excellency to clear the air which will not only put at rest the confusion but also end efforts to establish the democratically elected government by illicit means," it said.
The letter said that prompt action by the Governor "will serve the cause of democracy and further delay will be against the constitutional duties and values".
The Chief Minister's office released a statement on Thursday after speculation that the ECI has sent a report to the state Governor about Soren's disqualification.
It alleged that BJP leaders have themselves drafted the ECI report, "which is otherwise a sealed cover report".
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey had tweeted earlier 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 state 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.
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).