Jharkhand CM Hemant Meets Sonia Gandhi, Says People Are More Sensible, Respond In Polls When Targeted

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Friday met Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi at her residence and criticized the BJP-led central government for its decision to celebrate the Emergency anniversary as Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas. He asserted that the people are more sensible now and will react accordingly when they feel targeted.

Soren, along with his wife Kalpana Soren, arrived at Sonia Gandhi’s residence at 10 Janpath in the morning. This was his first meeting with the Congress leader since coming out of jail and taking oath again as Jharkhand’s Chief Minister.

The meeting lasted over 50 minutes.

Speaking to the media, Soren, also the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader, stated that this was a courtesy meeting with Sonia Gandhi after his release from jail.

When asked if they discussed the upcoming assembly polls in the mineral-rich state, he replied, “Such discussions keep on taking place and today not much was discussed.”

Regarding the BJP-led central government’s announcement to celebrate the Emergency anniversary as ‘Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas’ on June 25 every year, Soren remarked, “Don’t know what the BJP will do. Now people are not going to tolerate it and they are not the same, as they (BJP) believe in buying everything with money. People are more sensible and when they feel that they are being targeted then the results are visible from time to time.”

The BJP did not achieve a majority in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, winning only 240 seats and forming a government with the help of NDA partners. Meanwhile, the Congress-led INDIA bloc bounced back by winning 234 seats across the country.

When asked about the government bringing another notification granting more power to the Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor, the Chief Minister said, “I am not aware of that as I came to know about it from you people.”

When asked about the Supreme Court granting interim bail to his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal in the excise policy case, Soren said, “You all know what drama has happened. And how they have conspired to demean the judiciary… I am stunned as he could not come out but I hope he comes out soon.”

His remarks came after the top court on Friday granted interim bail to AAP leader Kejriwal in the Enforcement Directorate case related to the now-scrapped excise policy. Kejriwal was also arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation in the same case last month.

The assembly election in the eastern mineral-rich state is scheduled for later this year, with Congress as its alliance partner. Soren also reshuffled his Cabinet in Jharkhand a few days ago by inducting several MLAs from Congress and JMM as Ministers.