Jharkhand Political Turmoil: CM Hemant Soren’s resignation looms, BJP’s Nishikant Dubey speculates amid MLA’s exit

Speculations over a political upheaval is buzzing the State of Jharkhand after Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) legislator from Gandey seat, Sarafaraz Ahmed, tendered his resignation from the Jharkhand state assembly on Monday, January 1.

According to the reports, MLA, Sarafarz Ahmed met with the Jharkhand assembly speaker, Ravindra Mahto on Monday afternoon and submitted his resignation letter which was accepted by the latter subsequently. However, it’s been learnt that the MLA has not stated any significant reason behind leaving the prestigious position leading to speculation over a big political upheaval.

Meanwhile, reacting to the development, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament (MP) from Godda Lok Sabha seat, Nishikant Dubey while taking to the X, said that Gandey’s MLA, Sarfaraz Ahmed has tendered his resignation which has been sanctioned. Hemant Soren will tender his resignation and his wife Kalpana Soren will be the next Chief Minister of Jharkhand. The new year has been difficult for the Soren family.

The BJP lawmaker from Jharkhand, in a series of tweets later, also claimed that the incumbent Chief Minister Hemant Soren is mulling over holding a by-election on the Gendey seat. “A meeting of MLAs will be held tomorrow while efforts are on to jointly submit the resignation letter of Hemant Soren and the letter stating Kalpana Soren as the leader of the legislators to the governor.

Further, Dubey, while citing an apex court judgement and another verdict of the Mumbai high court, also appealed to Jharkhand’s governor to take legal advice before taking any decision on the matter.

CM Soren skips EDs Summons

It is to be noted that speculation over a major political upheaval in the State is high after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) issued a fresh summons to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on December 30, for questioning in connection with an alleged land scam.

This was the seventh summons issued to CM Hemant Soren by the ED under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 asking him to record his statement.

“Since you have not come to the office of the Directorate of Enforcement in obedience to the summonses issued to you, we are giving you this last opportunity to record your statement under section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, at the place, date and time, mutually convenient to you as well as the undersigned (ED), which should be within 7 days of receipt of this notice/Summons,” said the ED in its summon.

The agency has asked him to specify the place, date, and time within two days of receipt of this communication. “Despite the issuance of six summonses, you (Hemant Soren) have not appeared before this office, citing unfounded reasons. This non-appearance is impeding and hindering the progress of the investigation in the present case,” ED mentioned in the summons.

Earlier, the ED issued the sixth summons on December 12 for questioning but the Chief Minister skipped the proceedings.

CM Soren was first summoned by the ED earlier in mid-August in connection with a land ‘scam’ case. However, the CM ignored the summons, claiming that he was busy with the state’s Independence Day celebrations.

He was asked again to appear on August 24 and September 9 but he skipped the dates, citing preoccupations. The agency then issued its fourth summons to the Jharkhand CM, asking him to report to the agency on September 23. The CM had earlier threatened to move for legal proceedings against the Centre if it did not withdraw the summonses issued against him.

In his letter to the agency, Soren said he had provided all necessary documents and information to the ED. He wrote that if the ED needed any information, it could refer to the documents that he had already shared with the agency. However, he alleged that the ED summoned him on August 14 at the behest of its “political masters”.