'Jharkhand MLAs will fly to Hyderabad if…': Congress heralds new twist to political row

Members of the JMM-led alliance in Jharkhand may fly to Hyderabad in case of delay in government formation. The assertion came from state Congress chief Rajesh Thakur after newly appointed JMM chief Champai Soren sought time from the governor to prove majority. Meanwhile, former Chief Minister Hemant Soren was produced before an PMLA Court in Ranchi on Thursday afternoon.

"The JMM legislature party leader Champai Soren, who is leading the alliance, has sought time from the governor at 3 pm today to prove majority. We are unaware of the reasons for the delay...In case the Raj Bhawan delays in extending an invitation to the alliance to form a government, lawmakers will fly to Hyderabad, in a bid to thwart any attempt of the opposition BJP to poach them," Thakur told PTI.

A PTI report quoting sources indicates that two chartered planes — one 12-seater and another of 37 seats — have been booked for shifting the legislators. The ruling coalition claims to have the support of 47 MLAs.

Chief Minister Hemant Soren resigned on Wednesday night following his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in an money laundering case. The probe pertains to huge amounts of proceeds of crime generated by forging official records by showing 'fake sellers' and purchasers in the guise of forged or bogus documents to acquire huge parcels of land having value in crores.

The senior politician moved the Supreme Court challenging his arrest on Thursday morning. Hemant Soren has sought to declare his arrest and consequent detention ‘unwarranted, arbitrary, illegal and violative of fundamental rights’. 

“No evidence has been by them found yet. They also tried to spoil my image by conducting raids at my Delhi residence. We have to fight a new fight now