J'khand CM accuses BJP of poaching MLAs amid speculation of Champai Soren switching sides

    Godda/ Pakur, Aug 18 (PTI) Amid speculation that JMM leader Champai Soren could join the BJP, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Sunday accused the saffron camp of "poaching" MLAs and "dividing society".
    Soren's statement came hours after JMM legislator and former chief minister Champai Soren reached Delhi.
    Addressing a government function in Jharkhand's Godda district, Hemant Soren alleged that the BJP brought people from Gujarat, Assam and Maharashtra to "spread poison among the tribals, Dalits, backward classes and minorities and make them fight with each other".
    "Forget about society, these people work to break families and parties. They poach MLAs. Money is such a thing that it doesn't take long for politicians to move here and there," he said.
    Notably, Champai Soren left for Delhi on Sunday, amid speculations that he is likely to join the BJP, sources said.
    A close associate of Champai Soren claimed that the former chief minister left for the national capital from Kolkata.
    Soon after landing in Delhi, the JMM leader told reporters that he hadn't met any BJP leader and was in the national capital on a "personal" visit.
    Hemant Soren also said that the assembly elections in Jharkhand are due this year but the poll schedule would be "decided by the opposition party in the state, not by the Election Commission".
    "It seems the Election Commission is no longer a constitutional institution, as it has been occupied by BJP people," he alleged.
    "I challenge them (BJP) that if the assembly elections are held today, they will be wiped out from Jharkhand tomorrow," the chief minister said.
    During the day, the chief minister launched his government's ambitious financial assistance scheme for women, 'Jharkhand Mukhyamantri Maiyan Samman Yojana (JMMSY)', by transferring the first instalment to bank accounts of 81,000 beneficiaries of Pakur district.
    Under the scheme, a woman, between 21 and 50 years of age, is entitled to receive Rs 1,000 per month. The amount will be credited to beneficiaries' bank accounts on the 15th of every month.
    The scheme will benefit about 50 lakh women in the state.
    The CM said a woman will receive Rs 12,000 annually.
    "If everything had gone well, this ambitious scheme would have been implemented a year ago. Some forces try to obstruct the schemes of the state government in many ways," CM added.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)