‘Elusive’ Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren meets MLAs in wife’s presence; ED seizes Rs 36 lakh

Tribune News Service

Aditi Tandon

New Delhi, January 30

Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren surfaced in Ranchi on Tuesday after hours of dramatic absence even as the Enforcement Directorate seized Rs 36 lakh, a BMW and some incriminating documents from his Delhi residence.

Rerun of Lalu & Rabri episode?

• The presence of Hemant Soren’s wife in the MLAs’ meet reignites the memories of 1997 when Lalu Yadav, following arrest warrants in the fodder scam, installed wife Rabri as CM.
• The BJP smells a bid to install Kalpana Soren as CM.

The ED, which had on Monday said that the JMM executive president, 48, was untraceable, will question him again in a money laundering case. The probe will resume from where it ended on January 20, ED sources said.

Meanwhile, Jharkhand witnessed frenzied political activity on Tuesday. Soren, after surfacing from a near 40-hour absence, chaired a meeting of the ruling alliance MLAs at his residence with wife Kalpana in attendance.

BJP’s Godda MP and senior Jharkhand leader Nishikant Dubey said, “According to current information, MLA Sita Soren and MLA Basant Soren have refused to accept CM Hemant Soren, wife Kalpana Soren or other MLAs as the CM. Both the MLAs were absent from the legislature party meeting in Ranchi.”

Hemant Soren’s act of letting wife stay in an official legislature party meeting has led to speculation that fearing arrest in the ongoing money laundering case he might install his wife as CM.

If that happens, it will be a rerun of July 25, 1997 when then Bihar CM Lalu Yadav anointed wife Rabri in his place after he was forced to resign amid arrest warrants in the fodder scam. She stayed CM till 2005. Some MLAs of the ruling alliance are learnt to be in touch with the BJP. The Congress and the JMM said the BJP was spreading rumours by saying the CM was missing. “ED, Delhi Police and IB together could not locate the CM. This is their utter failure. We met him at his residence,” said Jharkhand Congress MLA Deepika Singh.

About The Author

Tribune News Service

The Tribune News Service brings you the latest news, analysis and insights from the region, India and around the world. Follow the Tribune News Service for a wide-ranging coverage of events as they unfold, with perspective and clarity.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.

#Enforcement Directorate #Hemant Soren #Jharkhand