(Image source from: Facebook.com/HemantSorenJMM/)

Sources within the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha Party claim that if Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren is arrested, his wife Kalpana Soren may assume his position. The Enforcement Directorate is set to question Mr. Soren today regarding an alleged money laundering case, and there is a possibility of his arrest following the recording of his statement.

According to sources, Mr. Soren made this announcement during a meeting with the ruling alliance's MLAs. The MLAs have agreed that it is crucial to maintain the stability of the government at this point. Banna Gupta, the state's health minister from the Congress party, stated on Tuesday that all MLAs from the alliance fully support the Chief Minister.

However, there is a potential legal obstacle to Mrs. Soren's succession. Constitutional provisions state that if the Assembly's term is set to expire within a year, by-elections cannot be held. In such a case, it would be challenging for Kalpana Soren to become an MLA. The Assembly election in Jharkhand is scheduled for November this year. If necessary, legal advice will be sought in this matter, or someone else will assume the top position, according to sources.

A massive scam, worth 600 crores, revolves around an elaborate scheme to transfer government land ownership and then sell it to developers. The investigation agency has accused a "large network" of individuals involved in this illegal activity. To date, 14 individuals have been arrested, including Chhavi Ranjan, a 2011-batch IAS officer who held positions in the state Social Welfare Department and as deputy commissioner of Ranchi. Mr. Soren, who is claiming to be a victim of a grand conspiracy, believes he is the main target.