Hyderabad: Champai Soren became Jharkhand's Chief Minister on Friday afternoon, succeeding Hemant Soren, who was recently arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case. Champai Soren, aged 67, will need to demonstrate his majority in a floor test within the next 10 days.
He has the support of 43 MLAs from the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-Congress-Rashtriya Janata Dal alliance, many of whom were sworn in alongside him. This swearing-in marks a temporary resolution to the ongoing political crisis in the state.
Champai Soren, a six-time MLA and former Transport Minister, was elected as the leader of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha's legislative party after reports of internal power struggles within the party. His nomination came after discussions regarding the potential candidacy of Hemant Soren's wife, Kalpana Soren.
Following multiple meetings with Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan, Champai Soren was invited to form the government. Concerns over the delay and the slim majority led the ruling alliance to relocate their MLAs, although their plans were disrupted due to weather conditions.
Despite initial setbacks, Champai Soren received a call from the Governor, signaling the green light for his appointment. The ruling JMM-Congress-RJD alliance holds 47 seats in the 81-member house, where 41 seats constitute a majority.
