Champai Soren Kept On Hold By Governor, MLAs To Be Flown Out Of Ranchi

Ranchi: Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader Champai Soren said Thursday he had urged Governor CP Radhakrishnan to invite him to form the next government. In his meeting, Champai Soren cited "a situation of confusion" in the state, which has been without a Chief Minister since the dramatic arrest of Hemant Soren by the Enforcement Directorate last evening on money laundering charges. Champai Soren met Governor Radhakrishnan at his Raj Bhawan residence in Ranchi with five MLAs from the ruling JMM-Congress-Rashtriya Janata Dal. He informed the Governor that he had the backing of 43 MLAs from the alliance; a 49-second roll-call video was played, sources told NDTV.

We stand united... all 43 MLAs are staying at Circuit House (a state government guesthouse)," Mr Soren told reporters, "The Governor assured us he will soon take a decision on our request."Therefore a date and time for the swearing-in ceremony has not been announced so far. Meanwhile, amid the political turmoil in the state, the MLAs backing Champai Soren have been herded together and are expected to be flown out of the state, heralding the start of "resort politics".

The meeting between Champai Soren and the Governor followed an emotional appeal in which Mr Soren, widely seen already as a Chief Minister-in-waiting, urged the latter to take immediate action.