JMM MLAs arrive in Hyd ahead of floor test on Feb 5

Hyderabad: Hyderabad has become the safe zone for the JMM MLAs from poaching by the BJP against the backdrop of a political crisis in Jharkhand following the arrest of former chief minister Hemant Soren. Though Champai Soren has been sworn in as the new Chief Minister, the Governor has given 10 days to prove his strength on the floor of the Assembly. The JMM and the AICC feel that this was a gameplan of the BJP to indulge in horse trading and come to power through backdoor, an art which it had perfected during the last ten years.

Hence the JMM airlifted 39 MLAs, including JMM, Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal members. These MLAs were brought to Hyderabad by two special flights on Friday and have been kept at Leonia Resort on the city outskirts.

Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar has been entrusted with the responsibility of taking care of the guests and the logistics were for this safe haven were worked out by state in-charge Deepa Dash Munshi, Sampath and K C Venugopal. Sources said 70 rooms have been booked for them in the resort. In the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly, Champai Soren has to prove that he has majority of 41 members.

The BJP claims that it has support of 44 MLAs. On its own, the BJP has 32 MLAs and three from All Jharkhand Students Union. They need another six members to form the government. In this scenario, the JMM, Congress and RJD alliance decided to keep close watch on the movement of their flock and also keep a hawk eye on the possible attempts by the BJP to lure their MLAs either directly or through phone.