Hemant Soren. File
| Photo Credit: PTI

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on July 24 slammed the Centre for “neglecting” the State in the Union Budget, and alleged that the BJP leaders are “silent” over the dues from the Centre.

He also claimed that the Centre owes ₹1.36 lakh crore to the State and demanded that its dues be paid by the Union government.

“Who is guilty of discrimination with the State? The Centre owes ₹1.36 lakh crore to the State, but every BJP leader is silent on this issue. Give a special package to your crutches — pay us our dues,” Mr. Soren said on X.

He was apparently referring to financial measures, announced by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her Budget proposals on July 23, for Bihar and Andhra Pradesh, ruled by key NDA allies — Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) and Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP — which are providing critical support to the BJP-led government at the Centre.

Announcing a host of developmental projects in the Union Budget, Ms. Sitharaman proposed a total outlay of over ₹60,000 crore for various projects in Bihar, where Assembly polls are due next year, and ₹15,000 crore for the 2024-25 fiscal for the development of Andhra Pradesh’s capital city, a dream project of Mr. Naidu.

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“Former Jharkhand CM Raghubar Das had left behind DVC’s dues of ₹5,000 crore — which the Centre had deducted from our account without informing us — and the BJP leaders were clapping,” Mr. Soren said sharing a post by JMM on the microblogging site.

He also asked, “Why are we being neglected despite giving 12 out of 14 MPs in 2014 and 2019 and having nine (NDA) MPs today?” Mr. Soren had on Tuesday said that the Union Budget would help the Centre’s “billionaire friends” at the cost of agriculture, and “loot” the budget of farmers.

This, he said, has happened when 60% of the population of the country depend on agriculture for sustenance.

Setting the ball rolling for Hemant Soren to take over as the Jharkhand chief minister again, his close aide, Champai Soren, has resigned from the post just five months after taking oath. 

Champai Soren, who is seen as the number three in the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, was sworn in on February 2, two days after then chief minister Hemant Soren was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a land scam. He was released on bail on June 28 by the Jharkhand High Court which noted that there was reason to believe that he was “not guilty of the offence”.

After handing over his resignation to Jharkhand Governor CP Radhakrishnan on Wednesday evening, Champai Soren, who was earlier reported to be upset over being asked to leave the post, said in Hindi, “When the leadership had changed, I was given responsibility. You know the sequence of events. After Hemant Soren came back, we (the coalition) picked him as our leader and I have resigned. I am following the decision taken by the coalition.”

Asked when he would take oath, Hemant Soren, who was standing next to Champai Soren, said more details would be given later. 

Jharkhand is ruled by a coalition consisting of the JMM, Congress, RJD and the CPI (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation.

“Insulted”

Earlier on Wednesday, the JMM had elected Hemant Soren as the legislature party leader, paving the way for him to take over as chief minister. The move defied a very strong buzz that Champai Soren would retain the post and Hemant Soren would return as chief minister only after the Jharkhand Assembly elections, due later this year, if the coalition won.

Sources had told NDTV that Champai Soren, who is likely to be named the JMM’s Executive President, was upset at being asked to resign as chief minister and had said at the party meeting that he was feeling insulted.

Leaders of the ruling coalition reached a consensus on Hemant Soren’s return during a meeting at Champai Soren’s residence. Among the attendees were Congress’ Jharkhand in-charge Ghulam Ahmad Mir, state president Rajesh Thakur and Hemant Soren’s wife and MLA Kalpana Soren.

Sources said the decision was taken to ensure that the elections were fought with Hemant Soren as the face of the party. JMM has 27 MLAs in the 81-member Assembly, the Congress has 18 and the RJD and the CPI (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation have one each.

The BJP, which has 24 MLAs, has hit out Hemant Soren and repeated its dynastic politics charge against his family.