Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren on Monday expressed confidence that he would not only complete his current term but also win the 2024 Assembly elections, amid the Enforcement Directorate sending him repeated summons over alleged money-laundering charges.
Meanwhile, the resignation of ruling JMM MLA Sarfaraz Ahmad from the Jharkhand Assembly set the political rumour mill churning over a BJP MP’s claims that Soren could resign soon.
Addressing a function at Kharsawan in Seraikela-Kharsawan district on Monday to mark the death of hundreds of tribals in police firing on January 1, 1948, by then Orissa military police, Soren said: “Conspiracy has been hatched by the Opposition to disturb and destabilise our government within hours of formation of our government. But we have completed four years and will complete our term and also come to power in the 2024 elections.”
“Since the formation of our government, we have been confronted with the Covid pandemic for more than a year and when we started working for the masses we were consistently disturbed by the Opposition, which ruled for the maximum number of times since the creation of the state (in 2000) but only looted its resources. However, when we come to power again in 2024, we will try to erase the stigma of backwardness attached to Jharkhand in a span of two years,” Soren claimed.
Soren also urged the tribals not to be swayed by misleading statements by BJP leaders.
“They have several intellectuals who are experts in manipulating and concocting lies, which would appear to be truth. Unfortunately, several of our own tribal brethren are being used as pawns by these people. I would like to appeal to all Adivasis and Dalits not to be swayed by lies of these people, especially in the election year, and remain united and discern which party will stand up for your rights,” Soren said.
Soren had last month announced the reduction of the pension age for tribals and Dalits to 50 years from the existing 60 years.
Meanwhile, the resignation of MLA Sarfaraz Ahmed, who had switched over from the Congress to the JMM and represented the Gandey Assembly constituency, triggered political gossip in the state.
The Jharkhand Assembly secretariat on Monday issued a notification accepting the resignation of Ahmed and notifying that the Gandey seat has become vacant from December 31.
The development prompted Godda BJP MP Nishikant Dubey to post on X: “Jharkhand’s MLA from Gandey, Sarfaraz Ahmed, has resigned from the Assembly and his resignation has been accepted. Soon, Hemant Soren ji will also resign from the post of chief minister and his wife, Kalpana Soren ji, will take over as the next CM. The new year could bring pain to the Soren family,” Dubey posted from his official handle on X in Hindi.
The BJP MP also said that the Jharkhand governor should take legal advice on the matter. “The Jharkhand Assembly was formed on December 27, 2019. Sarfaraz Ahmed resigned on December 31. Election cannot be held in less than a year,” he said.
Dubey expressed hope that the NDA would win the bypoll in the Gandey seat.
JMM central general secretary and party spokesperson Vinod Pandey told The Telegraph that Ahmed himself could disclose the exact reason behind his resignation.
“We are not sure about the reason and it can be clarified by Sarfaraz Ahmed ji himself. However, we would like to make it clear that there is absolutely no truth on bickering within the party leading to the development,” said Pandey, who is considered close to Soren.
Prodded over Dubey’s posts on social media, Pandey said: “We have been seeing BJP leaders attempt to disturb our government since the very first day of our government formation in December 2019 and we have successfully completed four years. We have an answer to all their political manoeuvres and conspiracy,” said Pandey.
Repeated calls to Ahmed on both his mobile numbers remained unanswered.
