UPA MLAs from Jharkhand arrive in Chhattisgarh, to move to resort

Raipur, Aug. 30 (PTI): The MLAs of the ruling UPA coalition in Jharkhand on Tuesday arrived in Raipur by a chartered flight to thwart the BJP’s alleged poaching attempt amid the ongoing political crisis in their state.

The flight carrying about 40 MLAs took off from the Ranchi airport shortly after 4.30 pm and arrived at Swami Vivekananda Airport in Raipur, the capital of the Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh, around 5:30 pm.

Two buses were arranged at the airport to take the MLAs to a resort in Nava Raipur, said a local Congress leader.

The leader did not confirm the number of MLAs who reached here but said Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren was not accompanying them. The ruling coalition has 49 MLAs in 81-member Assembly.

Soren’s JMM believes that the BJP may make a serious attempt to poach MLAs from it and the Congress in a bid to topple the government.