Sources within the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha Party have claimed that if Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren is arrested, his wife Kalpana Soren may take over his position. Mr. Soren is scheduled to be questioned by the Enforcement Directorate today regarding an alleged money laundering case, and there is a possibility of his arrest following the recording of his statement. According to sources, Mr. Soren made this announcement during a meeting with the MLAs of the ruling alliance, who have agreed that preserving the government is of utmost importance at this juncture. Banna Gupta, the state’s health minister from the Congress party, stated on Tuesday that all MLAs from the alliance, including Congress, are fully supportive of the Chief Minister.
However, there may be a potential obstacle for Mrs. Soren to assume the position.
According to constitutional provisions, if the Assembly’s term is set to expire in less than a year, by-polls cannot be conducted. In such a scenario, it would be challenging for Kalpana Soren to become an MLA.
It is speculated that if necessary, legal advice will be sought or someone else will assume the top position. The upcoming Assembly election in Jharkhand is scheduled for November this year.
The ongoing investigation by the Enforcement Directorate involves a massive ₹600-crore land scam, which allegedly includes fraudulent transfer of government land to builders. So far, the agency has arrested 14 individuals, including Chhavi Ranjan, a 2011-batch IAS officer who held positions in the state Social Welfare Department and as deputy commissioner of Ranchi.
Mr. Soren has asserted that he is the victim of a significant conspiracy.