Jharkhand Governor Ramesh Bais reaches Delhi amid political crisis in state

Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], September 2 : Jharkhand Governor Ramesh Bais reached New Delhi on Friday amid political jostling in the state and the demand of MLAs of the ruling alliance that he should clear the air on the reports that his office had received an opinion from Election Commission to disqualify Chief Minister Hemant Soren as an MLA for "violation" of electoral norms.
The MLAs, who wrote a letter to Bais, 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".
They 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".
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.
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).
Jharkhand CM, Hemant Soren recommending his possible disqualification.
Yesterday, a delegation of UPA met him and requested to clear the suspense over the ECI report on Hemant Soren in the office of Profit matter. Governor assured them that in a day or two he will send his opinion to ECI.
The matter pertains to a mining lease that CM, Hemant Soren is alleged to have allocated to himself when the mining ministry was under him in 2021.
In February this year, the BJP submitted a memorandum to the Jharkhand 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 ECI, and the poll panel in May had issued notice to the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader.
A recommendation has been sent to Jharkhand Governor, from ECI which is yet to be made public. The suspense over ECI recommendations has grown political uncertainty in Jharkhand.
In the 81-member Jharkhand assembly, the ruling coalition consists of 30 JMM MLAs, 18 MLAs from Congress, and one from the RJD.