Chhattisgarh CM Baghel denies harbouring Jharkhand UPA MLAs in Raipur
Sep 04, 2022
Delhi (India), September 4 : Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Sunday denied that he was harbouring the Jharkhand UPA MLAs in his state and trying to save the Jharkhand government.
On being asked about the Jharkhand UPA MLAs in Raipur, Baghel said, "Who am I to save anyone (Jharkhand govt)? ...They are guests in my state."
The statement comes days after CM Baghel said the UPA coalition government in Jharkhand shifted its MLAs to Raipur to protect them from being poached in view of the BJP's "horse-trading" tactics.
Baghel met the Jharkhand UPA MLAs at the Mayfair resort in Raipur a few days back.
Amid the political uncertainty over reports that Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren could be disqualified as an MLA, nearly 31 MLAs and ministers of the ruling coalition in Jharkhand have reached Chattisgarh's capital Raipur.
Sources said those who went to Raipur include 13 from Congress including four ministers and 18 MLAs of JMM.
Soren told the reporters at the Ranchi airport that the ruling alliance is prepared to face every situation.
"No unforeseen incident is going to take place. We are ready for everything, the situation is under control. I will let you know if I will go with the MLAs", he said.
The BJP has sought the disqualification of Soren as an MLA accusing him of allocating a mining lease to himself while he held the state Mining portfolio 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.
