Consider this.

Jharkhand remains without a Chief Minister. The state government is non -functional during the past 24- hours after Chief Minister Hemant Soren resigned and was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday night. 

Around the same time, JMM elected its legislature party leader Champai Soren. Then led by him, five MLAs claiming the support of 43 MLAs, requested Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan to let Champai Soren take oath as CM.

Today they stood in a queue inside the Raj Bhawan and got a video made showing they had the support of 43 MLAs. But, Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan who has not taken decision in his favour. 

This is a major reason why Governor C.P. Chandrakrishnan is under fire in public. Because in neighbouring Bihar, JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar took oath as the chief minister of Bihar just 5 hours after he announced an alliance with the BJP.

Though he met five JMM and its allies’ MLA led by Champai Soren, Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan this evening, he has not invited him to take oath as CM.  “Governor Saheb said the invitation will be given soon”, said Champai Soren after meeting Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan. 

 However, the JMM leaders say, it is “highly” objectionable that despite providing him 43 MLAs’ signed letter supporting him to become the CM, Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan has not allowed him to take oath.

“This is a deliberate design of the leaders of the BJP system to deny justice. It’s highly objectionable”, said a JMM leader.  

Alongside, the Congress on Thursday said it has sequestered its MLAs in Jharkhand to prevent the BJP from carrying out ‘horse-trading’. 

Congress party's in-charge for Jharkhand, Ghulam Ahmad Mir said its MLAs had been taken to a safe place because the governor delayed Champai Soren's swearing-in ceremony despite getting the letter of support. 

Champai Soren was on Wednesday elected as the leader of the legislature party of the ruling JMM, shortly after Hemant Soren quit as the chief minister before being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate. The governor had invited Champai Soren to Raj Bhavan at 5.30 pm today. 

While the result of this meeting is awaited, BJP leader Nishi Kant Dubey has claimed that “ at least 8 MLAs” of the ruling JMM and Congress had not signed the letter submitted to Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan. They included Sita Soren and Lobin Hembrom. 

The Congress leader pointed out that when it comes to BJP and its allies, oath ceremonies are generally organised within hours of staking a claim to form a government. He claimed JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar took oath as the chief minister of Bihar just 5 hours after he announced an alliance with the BJP.  

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has agreed to hear on Friday a plea challenging Soren's arrest by the Enforcement Directorate. His lawyers withdrew their plea in the Jharkhand High Court today and moved to the Supreme Court.

"We will be withdrawing the petition in the high court... The manner of arrest just before the general elections has an adverse impact on polity of the country," Kapil Sibal told a bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra.