Soren returns to Ranchi, digs heels amid ED hunt

Jharkhand's coalition reposed faith in embattled chief minister Hemant Soren after a late-evening meeting on Tuesday, capping a dramatic day that saw the 48-year-old leader emerge in Ranchi after driving 1,300km by road from Delhi, where an Enforcement Directorate team missed him a day earlier, sparking a massive political storm over allegations that he was absconding.

- Raj Kumar

RANCHI: The meeting, held at the chief minister's residence in Ranchi, was attended by all legislators of the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led alliance, and hus wife Kalpana Soren, amid mounting speculation that she might step in as CM if he is arrested by the federal agency.

"I reside in your hearts," he said in Ranchi after paying tributes to Mahatma Gandhi on his death anniversary, while responding to a query regarding his absence.

"We all are committed to following the footsteps and ideologies of the Father of the Nation. We are proud that such people were born among us and guided us," he added.

All eyes are now on Wednesday, when the ED team is scheduled statement to record Soren's at 1pm at his residence, the second time in two weeks. JMM leaders have already planned shows of strength across the state and the district administration has clamped prohibitory orders in the vicinity of the CM's house.

After a two-hour meeting that ended around 9.30pm on Tuesday, legislators of the ruling alliance said they were all with Soren and that he would continue to lead the state.

State health minister Banna Gupta said there was no talk of a "plan B".

"The entire alliance is with the Hemant Soren government and is united," Gupta said.

JMM minister Mithilesh Thakur said that these were "normal meetings" to discuss how to best serve the people of Jharkhand. "All is well. Why should we think of something new? It is our opposition that schemes on a daily basis while we are running a government of the people, and talk about their progress. They are not leaving any stone unturned in their dirty tactics but they will not be able to defeat a popular government. Hemant Soren is clean and is our leader. We are all together," he said.