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Congress says not inviting Champai Soren to form govt is ‘contempt of Constitution’
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused governors of “hammering nails in the coffin of Indian democracy”.
The Congress on Thursday questioned the delay in the formation of a new government in Jharkhand, alleging that it is a clear contempt of the Constitution and denial of the public mandate.
Sharing a video of Jharkhand MLAs of the Congress and JMM, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused the governor of “hammering nails in the coffin of Indian democracy”.
"In the House of 81 MLAs, only 41 form a majority. Despite having the support of 48 MLAs, not inviting Champai Soren ji to form the government is clearly contempt of the Constitution and denial of public mandate," Kharge said in a post on X in Hindi.
He added: "Nails are being hammered in the coffin of Indian democracy by His Excellencies." Kharge said pointing at the role of governors in states.
The remarks by Kharge comes hours after Champai Soren, the leader of JMM legislative party, met Jharkhand Governor CP Radhakrishnan and demanded that the process for the formation of the state government should begin soon.
Also Read | Former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren sent to 1-day judicial custody in land scam
Champai Soren was on Wednesday elected as the leader of the legislature party of the ruling JMM, shortly after Hemant Soren quit as the chief minister before being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate.
Besides Kharge, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also said that the political developments in Jharkhand are yet another example of political injustice "for which the Prime Minister and Home Minister duo are considered experts".
"By doing what is called 'Horse-Trading' in English, they are being given time only for that. This is not only injustice but also murder of democracy," Ramesh wrote on X.
Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi asked whether the Centre wants to impose President's Rule in Jharkhand.
In a press conference, Singhvi asked whether the governor was waiting for some instructions from the prime minister's and Union home minister's office, according to PTI.
"The silence is eloquent," Singhvi said, pointing out that the numbers were clear that the ruling alliance has 47/48 members while the opposition has 32/33 members in the Jharkhand assembly," he said.
"Does it require some rocket science to calculate the majority," he asked, wondering whether the BJP was trying to encourage defections by hook or crook," he added.
Meanwhile, alleging a deliberate delay in the formation of the government in Jharkhand and the Congress and the ruling JMM began to move their MLAs. Several MLAs of JMM, including Champai Soren, arrived at the Ranchi airport on Thursday evening. They will be flown to an undisclosed location.
