"The opposition has destroyed democracy... BJP has been indulging in horse-trading of legislators... We will show our strength in the House," Soren said in the assembly.
"People purchase commodities in the market, but the BJP buys legislators," he alleged.
Hemant Soren also claimed that his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma indulged in “purchase" of Jharkhand MLAs. “The saffron party is trying to destabilise democratically elected governments in non-BJP ruled states... The Assam CM had also attempted to purchase Jharkhand legislators," Soren said in the assembly, amid protests by opposition members, who trooped into the well of the House, shouting slogans. Soren alleged that the BJP was trying to create “a civil war-like situation" in the country by fueling riots to win elections.
Soren is faced with uncertainty over his continuance as chief minister following a petition by the BJP seeking his disqualification as an MLA in an office-of-profit case.
A day ago, the legislators flew back to Ranchi after spending days in Chhattisgarh capital Raipur. Sources said those who went to Raipur include 13 from Congress including four ministers and 18 MLAs of JMM. Soren had met the legislators last night at circuit house where they spent the night.
Notably, a political crisis emerged in Jharkhand after a petition by the BJP sought Soren's disqualification from the Assembly in an office of profit case.
The BJP has sought the disqualification of Soren as an MLA accusing him of allocating a mining lease to himself while he held the state Mining portfolio in 2021.
In February this year, the BJP submitted a memorandum to the state Governor Ramesh Bais seeking disqualification of Soren from the House under Section 9(A) of the Representation of People's Act.
The Governor had forwarded the BJP complaint to the ECI and the poll panel in May had issued a notice to the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader.
The Election Commission (EC) had communicated its opinion in this regard to Governor Ramesh Bais on August 25, sparking a political crisis in the state.
Though the EC’s decision has not yet been made official, there is a buzz that the poll panel recommended the CM’s disqualification as an MLA.
*With inputs from agencies
