Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren Wins Trust Vote

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Monday won the trust vote that he initiated in the assembly amid allegations by the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led coalition of BJP trying to topple the government by engineering defections.

The opposition BJP, which protested throughout the proceedings of the special one-day session, walked out of the assembly just before the vote.

Hemant Soren, speaking before the vote, accused the BJP of attempting a "civil war-like situation" in the country by fueling riots to win elections. He also alleged that his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma was involved in "buying Jharkhand MLAs" in order to bring down his government.

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"The opposition has destroyed democracy. The BJP has been the indulging in horse-trading of legislators... We will show our strength in the house," the Chief Minister said in the assembly against the backdrop of slogan-shouting by BJP MLAs.

"We have heard of people buying clothes, ration, grocery. But only the BJP is into buying legislators," he alleged.

MLAs of the ruling coalition flew back into state capital Ranchi yesterday on a special flight from Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh, where they were sequestered at a luxury resort to prevent alleged poaching attempts.

The MLAs spent the night together at the state guest house and were taken straight to the assembly today.

Asked why he wanted the trust vote, Hemant Soren told reporters: "Who will take a trust vote? The opposition?"

He added: "The opposition has spread a web of conspiracies to bring me down. They will be trapped in the web of their own making."

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