Jharkhand political crisis: 32 UPA MLAs flown to Raipur

Ranchi: Thirty two MLAs of the ruling UPA in Jharkhand were on Tuesday airlifted to a resort in neighbouring Chhattisgarh where they would be lodged for the next two days.

The MLAs of the JMM Congress and RJD boarded a special flight of Indigo to Raipur from where the MLAs were taken to the Mayfair resort located in Nava Raipur. A thick security cover has been thrown around the resort to keep the flock intact.

Earlier on Tuesday the MLAs arrived in their separate vehicles along with their luggage and thereafter all of them were made to board two luxury buses which had been brought from Kolkata. From the CM house located at Kanke Road the legislators got in the buses with Chief Minister Hemant Soren himself accompanying them in one of the buses to the Birsa Munda Airport. From the airport the Chief Minister returned to his residence while the others went on the flight.

Talking to media outside the Airport, he said it was nothing surprising nor any new trend is being started, and nothing unexpected was going to happen here. The Chief Minister said the government was ready to tackle any situation and as part of its strategy different measures were being taken and the actions of the day were a small part of the larger strategy/ Going forward many things would be seen as the government was ready to give reply to the conspirators.

After a silence of two days suddenly politics in the state once again started buzzing in the afternoon as the UPA MLAs including cabinet ministers started reaching the CM house. Later in three vehicles the luggage of the MLAs was sent to the airport where security was also increased.

The MLAs who have gone to Chhattisgarh included 19 from JMM, 12 from Congress and 1 from RJD. State Congress Chief Rajesh Thakur, incharge of party affairs in Jharkhand Avinash Pandey have also gone to Raipur with the MLAs.

Those who did not board the flight included the cabinet ministers of JMM quota including Champai Soren, Joba Manjhi, Mithlesh Thakur, Jaggarnath Mahto and Hadizul Hassan. MLAs Basant Soren and Lobin Hembrom have been directed to reach Dumka and keep a watch over the situation post the murder of Ankita Singh. Speaker Ravindra Nath Mahto is also in Ranchi.

From the Congress side MLAs Pradeep Yadav, Ramchandra Singh and Mamta Devi did not board the flight over ill health and maternity issues while three others Irfan Ansari, Rajesh Kacchap and Namax Vixal Kongadi are suspended and are in Kolkata as per their bail conditions imposed by the Calcutta High Court.

The three legislators were arrested by the West Bengal police on July 31 after Rs 50 lakh cash was allegedly seized from their vehicle in Howrah, amid allegations they ahd been paid to switch sides. They have to remain in Kolkata for three months as per their bail condition. (UNI)