Amid political crisis, Jharkhand's ruling MLAs to be shifted to Raipur

Ranchi, Aug 30 (IANS) Amid the political crisis in Jharkhand, preparations are on to shift the ruling coalition's MLAs to Chhattisgarh's capital, Raipur. On Tuesday, the ruling coalition's MLAs once again gathered at CM House in Ranchi. A special flight has been arranged at Birsa Munda Airport in Ranchi.

According to information received from Raipur, rooms have been booked for August 30 and 31 in a resort named Mayfair. A dozen IPS and DSP level officers have been reportedly deployed for the security of the resort. The SP has also issued a letter regarding the posting of officers. The resort's rooms were vacated two days ago.

Ministers Badal Patralekh, Banna Gupta, Champai Soren and Jagarnath Mahto, besides Congress MLAs Shilpi Neha Tirkey, Umashankar Akela, JMM MLA Sarfaraz Ahmed, Sudivya Kumar Sonu and many other MLAs reached the Chief Minister's residence at 11 o'clock on Tuesday. It is also said that all the MLAs have been asked to come with bag and baggage. On the other hand, Congress' national general secretary and Jharkhand in-charge Avinash Pandey has been camping in Ranchi for the last four days. He also reached CM House at 2 p.m.

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha's (JMM) central general secretary Binod Pandey said that all the MLAs have been called to the Chief Minister's residence. The Chief Minister will hold a meeting with them and further strategy will be discussed. When asked whether the MLAs were being taken out of the state, he replied that any decision would be taken in the meeting itself.

"A conspiracy is being hatched by the BJP to overthrow the Jharkhand government. They want to write a black chapter here, but they don't know that our alliance is very strong," Minister Banna Gupta said.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Hemant Soren has called a meeting of the Jharkhand cabinet on September 1.

According to information, the MLAs will return to Ranchi on September 1 after staying in Raipur for two days. After a meeting of the cabinet at 4 o'clock in the evening and then a meeting of Grand Alliance MLAs, further strategy will be decided. If the governor's decision comes in the meantime, then the strategy will be made accordingly.