Staring at ouster, Hemant Soren may make his wife Kalpana Jharkhand CM

Tribune News Service

Vibha Sharma

New Delhi, August 28

With Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren staring at disqualification as an MLA following the Election Commission’s (EC) recommendation against him in the mining lease case, there is a buzz in Ranchi that the JMM leader may hand over the reins to his wife Kalpana Soren in case he ran out of options.

This would somewhat be on the lines of Bihar where RJD veteran Lalu Prasad Yadav made his wife Rabri Devi the CM when he had to quit the post after his name surfaced in the fodder scam.

Already, there are reports of celebrations in Kalpana’s village in Odisha, a state that recently sent Droupadi Murmu to the Rashtrapati Bhavan as the first tribal constitutional head of the country. “Like all regional parties, Soren may like to keep the (JMM) control within the family. He could have handed over the reins to his father Shibu Soren too but at the age of 78, he may not be that willing to hold the post,” said sources. The EC has recommended Soren’s disqualification as an MLA under the Representation of the People Act, 1951. Governor Ramesh Bais, however, is yet to officially communicate his order. Reports suggest the Governor was “deliberating legal aspects” and may make an official announcement on Monday.

Soren is also learnt to be considering moving the Supreme Court in case the Governor accepted the EC’s recommendation. Accusing the BJP of “using all Central agencies to target opponents”, Soren said he would fight “till his last drop of blood”. Led by the JMM, the ruling UPA too ruled out any resignation, asserting that it had the numbers in the Assembly.

The Opposition BJP, meanwhile, targeted the CM over his “picnic” with ruling coalition MLAs yesterday at Latratu near Ranchi. BJP leader Babulal Marandi said the CM was “busy enjoying while the entire state machinery had come to a standstill”. Godda MP Nishikant Dubey, who has kept up the heat against the CM during the entire episode, also slammed him over the “picnic” while former minister Bhanu Pratap Shahi demanded his resignation.

Sources said the BJP was in a wait-and-watch mode and would act based on the Governor’s decision.

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