Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader Champai Soren on Thursday urged the state’s Governor CP Radhakrishnan to expedite the process of appointing the new government, ANI reported.

On Wednesday, party leader Hemant Soren had resigned as Jharkhand’s chief minister just before the Enforcement Directorate arrested him in a money laundering case.

The party had then asked the governor for Champai Soren, a state Cabinet minister, to be made the chief minister.

In a letter to Radhakrishnan on Thursday, Champai Soren said that he was elected as the leader of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha’s legislative party and the joint legislative party. He said that he has support of 43 MLAs in the 81-seat Assembly.

Jharkhand’s ruling coalition comprises the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, the Congress, the Rashtriya Janata Dal and one Independent MLA.

The number of MLAs supporting him may increase to 47 or 48, he claimed.

“There is no government in existence in the state for the last 18 hours,” Champai Soren said in his letter to the governor. “There is a situation of confusion. You are the constitutional head, we all the MLAs and the people expect that you will pave the way for the formation of a popular government.”

Champai Soren met with Radhakrishnan on Thursday evening and reiterated his demand for a new government to be formed as soon as possible.

While leaving the governor’s official residence in Ranchi after their meeting, Champai Soren told reporters that Radhakrishnan has assured him that the government formation process will begin soon.

However, Radhakrishnan did not confirm a timeline for the appointment of the new government, Champai Soren added.

The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and the Congress were shifting their MLAs to Hyderabad, according to reports.

The case against Hemant Soren

The case against Hemant Soren pertains to an alleged scam linked to the ownership of a 7.16-acre land parcel in Ranchi, which the central law enforcement agency claims was acquired through the “proceeds of crime” involving the illegal sale of Army land.

He was arrested after more than seven hours of questioning by the central agency. A day before his arrest, the Enforcement Directorate had seized Rs 36 lakh in cash and a luxury sports utility vehicle from his Delhi home.

On Thursday, a Prevention of Money Laundering Act court sent Hemant Soren to one-day judicial custody. The central agency had sought a 10-day custody, The Indian Express reported.

The former Jharkhand chief minister also moved the Supreme Court on Thursday challenging his arrest. Soren was represented by senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Singhvi, who mentioned the matter before a bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud for an urgent hearing.

The chief justice agreed to hear the matter on Friday.

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