'Raj Bhavan should wake up from its slumber,' says Champai Soren as he waits for Jharkhand governor's invite to form new government

NEW DELHI: Champai Soren, the newly elected leader of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha legislature party, on Thursday said "Raj Bhavan should wake up from its slumber" as he waited for an invite from Jharkhand governor CP Radhakrishnan to form a new government.

The senior JMM leader's name has been proposed by the ruling alliance in Jharkhand as the new chief minister after Hemant Soren's resignation and his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday night.

"We yesterday handed over a letter of support from 43 MLAs to the governor. Now we have the support of 47 legislators," Champai Soren said.

The JMM leader took a dig at the delay citing the swift action in the case of other states and said "We are waiting for 15-16 hours whereas oaths are administered within two hours of stake claim and invite in other states."

Champai Soren could possibly be referring to Bihar where last Sunday Nitish Kumar got an invite to form a new government with the BJP hours after he tendered his resignation as chief minister of the Mahagathbandhan government. Nitish had walked out of the opposition alliance to return to the NDA fold and took oath as chief minister of the state for the ninth time in nearly two decades.

Hemant Soren was arrested on Wednesday night in a money laundering case after a seven-hour grilling by the Enforcement Directorate at his official residence. Hemant Soren resigned as chief minister before his arrest. Governor accepted his resignation on Wednesday night itself, but has not invited Champai Soren yet.

If the governor delays, there are reports that the MLAs could be shifted out of the state to ensure that they stay intact.


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