Jharkhand Congress chief says party intact amid reports of horse-trading

With party legislators under scanner amid allegations of horse-trading, Jharkhand Congress president Rameshwar Oraon on Wednesday said all is well and the party is intact.

"We are intact as a party. Whatever is coming in media is not true. We can't rely on the confessions made before the police (by three arrested individuals)," said Oraon.

Party leader Alamgir Alam reiterated Oraon's claims and denied the allegations against Congress MLAs of meeting BJP leaders to topple the Jharkhand government.

"Some MLAs had come to meet us. We held a discussion related to reports... (of alleged horse-trading). Some revelations were made. All in all, it can be concluded that we're intact as a government and allegations against the MLAs are baseless," said Alam.

Meanwhile, party MLA Irfan Ansari who was accused of meeting with BJP leaders along with another legislator Umashanker Akela denied the allegations. "We are Congress Bhakts, have Congress blood in us. Not at any cost, would we... (ditch our party)," said Ansari.

On Monday, Congress leader Subodh Kant Sahai had claimed that it is an attempt by the BJP to bring down the government by offering money to MLAs as they did in Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh.

"We are probing the matter. MLAs have not denied their involvement in the offer by BJP," said Sahai.

"It was not acceptable for BJP top leadership to lose Jharkhand. Thrice they attempted to offer money to our MLAs. It's true that they don't offer small amounts, but crores of money. Are all Reserve Bank of India notes with them?" he further alleged.

Recently, Congress MLA Naman Bixal Kongari, in relation to the toppling of the Jharkhand Government, claimed that he was offered a ministerial berth, crores of rupees and added that he turned down the offer and informed Chief Minister Hemant Soren.

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress are running a coalition government in the state.

Earlier, Ranchi police arrested three people--Abhishek Kumar Dubey, Amit Singh and Niwaran Prasad Mahto--on the complaint filed by Bermo MLA Kumar Jaimangal at the Kotwali police station on July 22 expressing suspicion over destabilising the Hemant-Soren led government in Jharkhand.

(ANI)

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