Jharkhand trust vote on February 5, MLAs flown to Hyderabad

The Champai Soren-led coalition government in Jharkhand will seek trust vote on February 5, minister Alamgir Alam said on Friday after a Cabinet meeting.

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha legislature party leader Champai Soren took oath as the chief minister earlier in the day.

"The floor test to prove majority by the JMM-led alliance in the state will be held on February 5 on the first day of a two-day assembly session," Alam told PTI.

The decision was taken in the first cabinet meeting of the government, chaired by Chief Minister Champai Soren.

Soren was administered the oath of office by Governor C P Radhakrishnan at the Raj Bhavan in Ranchi.

Along with him, senior Congress leader Alamgir Alam and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Satyanand Bhokta took oath as ministers.

Soon after the swearing-in, MLAs of the ruling JMM-led coalition flew to Hyderabad from Ranchi.

A senior leader of the coalition said that the decision to shift the legislators to Hyderabad, the capital of Congress-ruled Telangana, was taken considering that the opposition BJP may make attempts to 'poach' them.

"We were given 10 days to prove the government's majority. We can't take any chance during the period as the BJP might try to contact our MLAs," the senior leader told PTI.

Congress leader Banna Gupta whose party is a constituent of the ruling alliance said, "As many as 38 MLAs flew to Hyderabad. Several others stayed back."

A video released by the JMM-led coalition on Thursday showed the support of 43 legislators in the 81-member Jharkhand assembly.

Amid concerns over the delay in the appointment of Champai Soren as the next chief minister by Governor C P Radhakrishnan on Thursday, the majority alliance had taken steps to shift its MLAs out of Jharkhand in chartered flights.

However, the planes could not take off on Thursday night due to poor visibility and the MLAs had to return to Circuit House in Ranchi after a two-hour wait at the airport.

Earlier on Friday, 67-year-old tribal leader Champai Soren was sworn in as the 12th chief minister of the state. He became the sixth CM from Jharkhand's Kolhan region which comprises East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum and Seraikela-Kharsawan districts.

Champai Soren was appointed to the chief minister's post on Thursday after he urged the Governor to accept his claim to form the government at the earliest as there was 'confusion' in the state which was without a chief minister since the resignation of Hemant Soren on Wednesday, deepening a political crisis.

"We will take forward welfare schemes launched by Hemant Soren. I am committed to the development of Jharkhand," the new CM said after taking oath.

He also said, "We will continue the fight for 'Jal, Jungle, Jameen' (water, forest, land) for all round development of tribals and others."

Champai Soren has been given 10 days to prove his government's majority, said state Congress chief Rajesh Thakur whose party is a constituent of the JMM-led alliance.

"We stand united. Our alliance is very strong. No one can break it," Champai Soren had said on Thursday.

Notably, JMM executive president Hemant Soren was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday in a money laundering case linked to an alleged land fraud after he resigned as Jharkhand chief minister.

Soon after taking oath, Champai Soren paid homage to tribal icons Birsa Muda and Sidho Kanho who laid their lives fighting against the British colonial forces.

Celebrations began at his native village Jilinggora in Seraikela-Kharsawan district where his relatives and family members were seen dancing to the tunes of traditional instruments like Dhol and Nagara.