The Congress and the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha’s (JMM) plans to fly their MLAs out of Ranchi hit a snag after the chartered planes hired for it could not take off due to poor visibility, PTI reported.

Videos shared by news agency ANI showed MLAs of the JMM-led ruling alliance coming out of Ranchi Airport.

“We could not go because of poor visibility. We will fight against them (BJP)…” Jharkhand minister Banna Gupta was quoted as saying by ANI as he came out of the airport.

The MLAs, after waiting for around two hours at the airport, are returning to the Circuit House, where they had been staying, reported PTI.

Airport Director RR Maurya told PTI that three flights were cancelled after 6.30 pm due to poor visibility. Chances of taking off chartered flights today are also negligible,”

“Three flights were cancelled after 6.30 pm due to poor visibility. Chances of taking off chartered flights today are also negligible,” Maurya told the news agency.

Alleging a deliberate delay in the formation of the government in Jharkhand, leaders of the coalition were reportedly planning to shift their legislators to Hyderabad in two chartered planes in a bid to prevent any poaching attempt.

Earlier today, hours after the leader of the JMM legislative party, Champai Soren, met Jharkhand governor C. P. Radhakrishnan and demanded that the process for government formation be expedited, the Congress moved its MLAs from a “safe place” to the airport.

“We are going to the airport. You know what kind of people they are, they can do anything anytime. A total of 43 MLAs are going,” Jharkhand Congress president Rajesh Thakur had said.

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.

Hemant Soren resigned on Wednesday night in wake of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) action arresting the latter in connection with an alleged money laundering case. He has been sent to judicial custody till February 2.