Jharkhand Cabinet likely to be expanded after confidence vote on Monday | India News – Times of India

RANCHI: On the eve of the crucial floor test of the Hemant Soren-led Jharkhand government on Monday, both the ruling alliance and the opposition held separate meetings to carefully strategize for the special session. While the JMM, Congressand RJD legislators exuded confidence in achieving a successful outcome of the trust vote, opposition BJP claimed it would not be easy for the ruling alliance.
After the vote of confidence, the Sören cabinet will be expanded, an MLA said.
“Floor test and expansion of the cabinet were discussed during the meeting. After the vote of confidence, the cabinet will be expanded,” Poreyahat MLA Pradeep Yadav he told reporters on Sunday.
Yadav, who joined the Congress after winning the 2019 state Assembly elections on a JVM-P ticket, claimed that they have enough seats in the House to win the confidence vote.
JMM legislator Stephen Marandi said the party has directed all alliance MLAs to be present in the House and participate in the voting.
The BJP, on the other hand, said it will not be a piece of cake for the ruling alliance to survive the elections.
Speaking to reporters after the party’s legislative meeting, opposition leader Amar Bauri alleged that there is infighting among the alliance members.
“The party has decided to participate in the floor test on Monday. We request the government to ensure a debate and allow the opposition to speak,” he said.
The BJP wants the Prime Minister to explain in the House why it was necessary to form a new government when former Chief Minister Champai Soren was already functioning, Bauri added.
“There is infighting within the alliance. Hemant Soren “He didn’t dare expand the cabinet before the floor test because he knew the situation might not be in his favor,” Bauri said.
On July 4, JMM chairman Hemant Soren took oath as the 13th Chief Minister of Jharkhand, a day after the resignation of his predecessor Champai Soren.
Hemant Soren was released from jail on June 28 after the Jharkhand High Court granted him bail in a money laundering case related to an alleged land fraud. He had resigned as CM shortly before his arrest on January 31 by the Enforcement Directorate.
After the Lok Sabha elections, the strength of the ruling alliance has been reduced to 45 MLAs: JMM-27, Congress-17 and RJD-1.
Two JMM MPs, Nalin Soren and Joba Majhi, are now MPs, while Jama legislator Sita Soren has resigned to contest the general elections on behalf of the BJP.
The JMM has expelled two legislators – Bishunpur MLA Chamra Linda and Boriyo MLA Lobin Hembrom – from the party.
Similarly, the BJP’s strength in the assembly has been reduced to 24 as two of its MLAs – Dhulu Mahto (Baghmara) and Manish Jaiswal (Hazaribag) – are now MPs. The saffron party has expelled Mandu MLA Jaiprakash Bhai Patel after he joined Congress to contest the elections.
The current strength of the Jharkhand Assembly, which has 81 members, is 76.
The ruling alliance had handed over a list of 44 MPs to the Governor when Hemant Soren staked claim to form the government on July 3.