Ranchi: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren yesterday won a crucial trust vote with 43 legislators voting in favour of the government in the 82-member state assembly while 37 voted against it.
After winning the trust vote, Soren told reporters: “We will provide a transparent government and soon formulate a common minimum programme.”
“I will not do anything under coalition compulsion to hurt the interest of the people,” he said, hinting at a cabinet expansion.
The Soren-led Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) government was formed on July 13 and was directed by Governor Syed Ahmad to prove his majority in the assembly within a week. Consequently, a special assembly session was convened yesterday.
Soren needed the support of at least 42 legislators in the 82-member assembly. He had handed a letter of support of 43 legislators to the governor to form the government.
Legislator Nizamuddin Ansari of the opposition Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik (JVM-P) did not attend the session. Speaker C P Singh, too, did not take part in the voting.
Pradeep Yadav, legislative party leader of JVM-P, alleged that Ansari had been missing since Wednesday.
During the debate on the motion, former chief minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Arjun Munda came down on the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-Congress alliance.
“This alliance has been formed for the benefit of the Congress. There is no hope that this government will do anything for development of the state,” he said.
IANS
