Sources said the MLAs landed in Hyderabad at around 4.30 pm on Friday, and were received by Congress’s Telangana in-charge, Deepa Das Munshi, and Telangana minister Ponnam Prabhakar.
After Champai Soren took oath as Jharkhand’s new Chief Minister on Friday afternoon, around 40 MLAs of the ruling coalition were flown to Hyderabad.
Sources said the MLAs landed in Hyderabad at around 4.30 pm on Friday, and were received by Congress’s Telangana in-charge, Deepa Das Munshi, and Telangana minister Ponnam Prabhakar. The MLAs were taken to a resort near Shamirpet lake.
“The reason why we had to fly our MLAs to Hyderabad is so that there can be no horse-trading, as it would become embarrassing for us. The Budget session has been called on February 9, and hopefully we will return before that,” said a Jharkhand MLA, part of the cohort in Hyderabad.
A political crisis had emerged in Jharkhand after the arrest of former CM and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader Hemant Soren by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case relating to the alleged illegal ownership of land.
Hemant Soren had submitted his resignation to the Governor on Wednesday night, just before his arrest by the ED. Soon after, MLAs led by Champai Soren, who Hemant had picked to be CM before his arrest, staked claim to form the government. However, Governor C P Radhakrishnan sought time, citing legal considerations.
As time elapsed, sources in the JMM-Congress-RJD coalition grew anxious on the possibility of horse trading. Champai Soren wrote to the Governor on Thursday afternoon, and before leaving for Raj Bhavan for the second time, 43 MLAs counted themselves in a video to allay all conspiracy theories.
However, the party members were left fuming after the Governor sought more time even amid their second visit, giving rise to further speculation. Not wanting to take any risks, the MLAs packed their bags and left for Ranchi airport and even sat on an aircraft, which, however, could not take off due to dense fog.
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Two hours later, the Governor gave his go-ahead to appoint Champai Soren as the new CM.
Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance.
Expertise and Experience
Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues:
High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules.
Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes.
Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak.
Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read More
