The political landscape in Jharkhand is becoming increasingly uncertain following the resignation of Chief Minister Hemant Soren. The ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) is concerned about horse-trading by its MLAs, and has sent 43 MLAs to Hyderabad or Bangalore to prevent any defections.
The four MLAs whose phones are not reachable are all from the JMM. Their absence has raised concerns about a possible upset in the Jharkhand assembly, where the JMM has a majority of 47 seats.
The JMM has been in power in Jharkhand since 2019, but its hold on power has been weakened by Soren's arrest on charges of money laundering. Soren resigned as chief minister on January 31, and his cousin, Champai Soren, has been nominated to replace him.
Champai Soren has submitted a letter of support from 43 MLAs to the governor, but the governor has not yet invited him to form the government. This has led to speculation that the JMM may not be able to retain power in Jharkhand.
The BJP, the main opposition party in Jharkhand, has been quick to capitalize on the uncertainty in the state. The BJP has said that it is ready to form the government if the JMM fails to do so.
The political situation in Jharkhand is likely to remain fluid for the next few days. It is unclear whether the JMM will be able to retain power or whether there will be an upset in the assembly.