Jharkhand CM Champai Soren faces floor test, jailed Hemant Soren present in assembly

Ranchi: Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, now under Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody, on Monday reached the state Assembly to take part in the trust vote being sought by incumbent CM Champai Soren, as per the direction of the state governor.

Accompanied by ED officials and escorted by a large posse of police personnel, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) stalwart Hemant arrived in the Assembly premises ahead of the floor test being taken by the currentCM to prove the majority of his coalition government in the House.

Champai Soren was elected leader of the JMM legislature party last Wednesday after Hemant Soren resigned as chief minister after he was arrested in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam.

Governor C P Radhakrishnan, while appointing Champai Soren as CM on Thursday, asked him to prove his majority within ten days.

Champai Soren took oath as CM along with two ministers from other constituent parties - Congress legislature party leader Alamgir Alam and Satyanand Bhokta of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) - on Friday.

Claiming the BJP was trying to poach its MLAs, the ruling coalition had flown 37 of its legislators to Congress-ruled Telangana. They came back on Sunday night to participate in the confidence motion.