Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader and former Chief Minister Hemant Soren on July 3 was elected as leader of the legislative ruling Indian National Development Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc parties and, later, meeting Governor staked claim to form government in the State. Mr Soren is set to return as the 13th Chief Minister of the state. In an alleged land scam case, Mr Soren was sent to jail in January this year following which he had resigned from the post of Chief Minister of the State.
“Our alliance decided to elect Hemant Babu (Hemant Soren) as leader. I’ve resigned from my post on my own”, outgoing Chief Minister Champai Soren told media persons outside Raj Bhawan. Champai Soren tendered his resignation to Governor C. P. Radhakrishnan and soon after Hemant Soren staked claim to form the government. Mr Soren along with alliance party leaders met the Governor after he reached Ranchi on July 3 evening from outside. It is said Hemant Soren may be invited by the Governor to take oath as the 13th Chief Minister of the State on July 4.
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Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Champai Soren, alliance partner Congress Party in-charge of the state Ghulam Ahmad Mir, state Congress president Rajesh Thakur and all leaders and legislators of INDIA bloc allies met in a marathon meeting in Ranchi. The ruling alliance MLAs had reached a consensus over the change of guard and to make Mr. Soren Chief Minister of the State again. “A decision was taken at the meeting that Hemant Soren will be the Chief Minister of the State again”, said Congress MLA from Jamtara Irfan Ansari to local media persons in Ranchi and sped away citing tooth-ache as a reason.
Earlier on January 31, Mr. Soren was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case linked to alleged land scam.
“Yes, we want Mr. Soren to take oath as CM of the State sooner than later but, it all depends on the Governor for the invitation”, a JMM MLA told The Hindu over the phone, preferring anonymity. Mr. Soren would take oath as Chief Minister of Jharkhand for the third time after July 2013 and December 2019.
It was, however, for the first time since Mr. Soren’s release from Jail on June 28, that he had called an all-party meeting of MLAs of alliance partners. Current Chief Minister Champai Soren, who is set to be “upset” over the move, which he, later, denied, is likely to be given a new responsibility as the chairman of the INDIA bloc coordination committee in the State or, executive president of the JMM.
In the total 81-member Jharkhand State Assembly, the JMM-led INDIA bloc strength, after the recently held Lok Sabha poll, has become 45 from 47 (JMM-27, Congress-17 and RJD-1). The BJP’s strength in the State Assembly is 24 as two of its legislators Dhulu Mahto (Baghmara in Dhanbad) and Manish Jaiswal (Hazaribagh) were elected as party MPs.
After Mr. Soren was sent to jail, his wife Kalpana Soren plunged into politics and became party MLA from Gandey constituency defeating BJP candidate Dilip Kumar Verma in a by-poll by over 26, 000 votes. Gandey Assembly seat in Giridih district of the State had fallen vacant following resignation of JMM MLA Sarfaraj Ahmad.
Ahead of the meeting of INDIA bloc allies MLAs on Wednesday, All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary and Jharkhand in-charge of the party Ghulam Ahmad Mir and State Congress President Rajesh Thakur met Mr. Soren for some time. “The alliance partner legislators and leaders elected Hemant Soren for the third term of CM for a unified command ahead of the upcoming State elections in October this year,” a JMM leader said.
Earlier on June 28, Hemant Soren was granted bail from Jharkhand High Court which said, “there exist reasons to believe that he was not guilty of the offence” and he came out of the jail.
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Mr. Soren’s estranged sister-in-law Sita Soren who had joined the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha elections and contested the elections unsuccessfully from Dumka seat, reacted over Mr. Soren becoming Chief Minister of the State again replacing Champai Soren from the post.
“Changing CM’s face will not get any benefit,” she quipped. Earlier, BJP spokesperson Vinay Singh had said, “It is clear that once a dynast, always a dynast. The momentary transition of power to Champai Soren was nothing but a façade created to look democratic. However, they (the Shibu Soren family) will never let power go outside the family”.
