MANISH GUPTA
Ranchi, Aug 31: The four Congress ministers, including Rameshwar Oraon, Banna Gupta, Badal Patralekh and Alamgir Alam are returning to Ranchi from Raipur to attend the Cabinet meeting scheduled for Thursday even as political uncertainties continue to stifle the state.
“The four Congress ministers are returning to Ranchi to attend the Cabinet meeting tomorrow,” Rural Development Minister Alamgir Alam told lagatar24.com over the phone from Raipur airport. Finance Minister Rameshwar Oraon, Health Minister Banna Gupta and Agriculture Minister Badal Patralekh were with him.
Earlier this afternoon, Jharkhand Labour Minister Satyanand Bhokta from RJD and Congress Poraiyahat MLA Pradeep Yadav went to Raipur on a helicopter from Ranchi airport. The same helicopter will bring back the four Congress ministers.
“Pradeep Yadav will stay back here,” Alam said. Bhokta will return with the ministers to the state capital.
Altogether 31 UPA MLAs had flown to Raipur on Tuesday to prevent any poaching attempt by the BJP as Chief Minister Hemant Soren faces an office-of-profit case that may lead to his disqualification.
Governor Ramesh Bais is learnt to have received a report (not officially confirmed) from the Election Commission on the case. While he is yet to send his recommendation, the ‘development’ has unsettled the JMM-led government, which is now trying to keep its flock together.