A day after he had been questioned by the Enforcement Directorate for 10 hours over money-laundering charges, Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren on Friday alleged that the central agency was targeting nonBJP-ruled states as part of a political conspiracy.

Addressing nearly 2,000 supporters outside his Ranchi residence, Hemant, leading a JMM-Congress-RJD alliance government, said: “We have no problem with the ED or other investigative agencies but the way action is being taken against governments in non-BJP ruled states — be it Telangana, Kerala, Bengal, Bihar. Are all BJP governments clean and spotless? This is part of a political conspiracy. It is time for all tribals and moolvasis (original settlers of the state) to understand this political fight.”

“The tribals and moolvasis should stay united and come out of their house and uncover this conspiracy of the BJP in their society. The BJP does not know that tribal icon Birsa Munda did not bow down to Britishers and I, too, am a son of a revolutionary. I will not succumb under their pressure. In fact, tribals are no longer going to be fooled as they had been for 20 years (the time span referred by JMM leaders for BJP rule in Jharkhand with the support of various parties),” he said.