Disqualify Hemant Soren As MLA, Recommends Election Commission: Sources

This means that after the Governor notifies the disqualification order on a gazette, Mr Soren will have to resign. His cabinet will also have to resign too. However, he can get re-elected in a by-election that has to be held within six months.

"I am not greedy for positions," Mr Soren tweeted today after reports of the action, "But we need to hold constitutional posts to be able to use the system for public welfare." In another tweet, in Hindi, he said, "Since our opponents are unable to match us politically, they are misusing constitutional institutions. But we are not worried... It's the people who gave us the chair... Do what you can; my work for my people can never stop." 

Meanwhile, Saryu Roy, a senior leader in Jharkhand, said he's in the know that Mr Soren will lose his assembly membership. "According to highly reliable sources, the Election Commission has disqualified @HemantSorenJMM from the post of MLA. As soon as the notification of disqualification leaves the Raj Bhavan, he will have to resign or get a stay order on this notification from the Honorable Court," he tweeted in Hindi. 

The EC has opined Mr Soren attracts disqualification for awarding a government contract to himself, sources said. A complaint was lodged against Mr Soren for awarding a mining lease to himself. 

Governor Ramesh Bais is examining EC opinion on Mr Soren's disqualification and will notify it soon, the sources said, adding that Mr Soren is not barred from contesting elections. Mr Soren is reportedly in consultation with constitutional experts on the future course of action.

Governor Bais had yesterday told reporters that he would be in a position to comment on the issue once he took stock of developments. "I was in AIIMS, Delhi for two days. I will be in a position to tell about any such decision when I reach Raj Bhavan," he had said on Thursday.

The ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), as part of the UPA alliance, says it's confident that Mr Soren will remain as the Chief Minister till 2024. Mr Soren summoned a meeting of the UPA at his residence in Ranchi. "We've (Jharkhand Congress MLAs) been instructed, keeping in mind the recent political developments and speculations in Jharkhand, to be available in Ranchi. We've (UPA MLAs) been called at 11 am tomorrow for another meeting at CM's residence," news agency PTI quoted Jharkhand Congress MLA Purnima Niraj Singh.

Mr Soren had yesterday said he hasn't yet received any communication while he has seen several media reports and BJP's statements about the Election Commission "recommending his disqualification as an MLA". "It seems that BJP leaders, including a BJP MP, and his puppet journalists have themselves drafted the EC report, which is otherwise always given in a sealed cover," Mr Soren said in a statement issued by his secretariat.

The BJP, which accused Mr Soren of extending a mining lease to himself, has already called for fresh elections and asked the Chief Minister to resign "on moral grounds". "Hemant Soren should head towards mid-term polls, on moral grounds," BJP MP Nishikant Dubey has said, "Assembly should be dissolved and there should be elections in all 81 assembly constituencies. BJP has been demanding this."

Among the 81 elected members of the assembly, the JMM (30), Congress (18) and RJD (1) have a majority with 49, plus support from some others. The BJP is main Opposition with 26 members.