Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren. (PTI Photo)
Ranchi: A day after the decisive victory of the JMM-led alliance in the Jharkhand Assembly polls, Chief Minister Hemant Soren met Governor Santosh Gangwar on Sunday to secure a second term. Soren was invited to take oath on November 28.
The incumbent chief minister tendered his resignation; however, the governor requested him to serve as acting chief minister until his swearing-in on Thursday.
"I met the governor. We stake a claim to form the government and handed over a support letter from alliance partners. He invited us to form the government. The swearing-in ceremony will be held on November 28," Soren told reporters after his meeting with Governor Gangwar.
Soren will be sworn in as the 14th Chief Minister of Jharkhand, a state carved out of Bihar on November 15, 2000. This will mark his fourth term as chief minister.
Earlier, leaders and MLAs of the JMM-led alliance unanimously elected him as the coalition's leader during a meeting at the chief minister's residence. Congress Jharkhand in-charge and party general secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir, along with senior party leader Rajesh Thakur, attended the meeting at the I.N.D.I.A. bloc alliance, alongside legislators from the coalition parties.
This is the first time in Jharkhand's history that Soren's JMM-led alliance has won power for a second consecutive term, securing 56 seats out of the 81-member assembly. This victory comes despite a strong campaign by the BJP-led NDA, which managed to win only 24 seats, one less than in the previous polls. The majority mark in the state assembly is 41 seats.
Chief Minister Soren retained the Barhait seat, defeating BJP's Gamliyel Hembrom by a margin of 39,791 votes.
In January, Soren had to resign as chief minister before being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case. He was granted bail and released from jail on June 28 after nearly five months, following a high court order. Soren resigned as chief minister shortly before his arrest on January 31.
Hemant Soren, the son of JMM supremo Shibu Soren, began his political career in 2009 as a Rajya Sabha member but resigned in 2010 to become the deputy chief minister in the BJP-led Arjun Munda government. The alliance collapsed in 2012, leading to President's Rule in the state. In 2013, Soren became the state's youngest chief minister at the age of 38, forming the government with the support of Congress and RJD. However, his first term was short-lived as the BJP took power in 2014, making Soren the leader of the opposition.
A pivotal moment in his career came in 2016 when the BJP-led government attempted to amend laws protecting tribal land, such as the Chotanagpur Tenancy Act and the Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act. Soren led a massive movement to protect tribal rights, earning widespread support and setting the stage for his return to power. In 2019, with the backing of his allies Congress and RJD, he reclaimed the chief minister's office as his JMM party won 30 seats. This time, the party won 34 seats, its highest-ever tally in the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly, signaling the growing popularity of his leadership.
Earlier in the day, Congress leaders and the elected 16 MLAs met at the party office with central observers Tariq Anwar, Mullu Vikramarka, and Krishna Allavuru, appointed by the Congress party to elect the leader of the Congress in the Assembly. However, the newly elected legislators deferred this issue to the “high command,” and the observers will submit a report to the party chief.
Sources indicated that initially, Congress sought the deputy chief minister post, which was eventually turned down by the JMM. JMM insiders stated that following the party's grand victory, Hemant Soren has emerged as the strongest leader in Jharkhand and should now be assertive in deciding cabinet berths and other issues related to the smooth functioning of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc alliance in the state.
"I met the governor. We stake a claim to form the government and handed over a support letter from alliance partners. He invited us to form the government. The swearing-in ceremony will be held on November 28," Soren told reporters after his meeting with Governor Gangwar.
Soren will be sworn in as the 14th Chief Minister of Jharkhand, a state carved out of Bihar on November 15, 2000. This will mark his fourth term as chief minister.
Earlier, leaders and MLAs of the JMM-led alliance unanimously elected him as the coalition's leader during a meeting at the chief minister's residence. Congress Jharkhand in-charge and party general secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir, along with senior party leader Rajesh Thakur, attended the meeting at the I.N.D.I.A. bloc alliance, alongside legislators from the coalition parties.
This is the first time in Jharkhand's history that Soren's JMM-led alliance has won power for a second consecutive term, securing 56 seats out of the 81-member assembly. This victory comes despite a strong campaign by the BJP-led NDA, which managed to win only 24 seats, one less than in the previous polls. The majority mark in the state assembly is 41 seats.
Chief Minister Soren retained the Barhait seat, defeating BJP's Gamliyel Hembrom by a margin of 39,791 votes.
In January, Soren had to resign as chief minister before being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case. He was granted bail and released from jail on June 28 after nearly five months, following a high court order. Soren resigned as chief minister shortly before his arrest on January 31.
Hemant Soren, the son of JMM supremo Shibu Soren, began his political career in 2009 as a Rajya Sabha member but resigned in 2010 to become the deputy chief minister in the BJP-led Arjun Munda government. The alliance collapsed in 2012, leading to President's Rule in the state. In 2013, Soren became the state's youngest chief minister at the age of 38, forming the government with the support of Congress and RJD. However, his first term was short-lived as the BJP took power in 2014, making Soren the leader of the opposition.
A pivotal moment in his career came in 2016 when the BJP-led government attempted to amend laws protecting tribal land, such as the Chotanagpur Tenancy Act and the Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act. Soren led a massive movement to protect tribal rights, earning widespread support and setting the stage for his return to power. In 2019, with the backing of his allies Congress and RJD, he reclaimed the chief minister's office as his JMM party won 30 seats. This time, the party won 34 seats, its highest-ever tally in the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly, signaling the growing popularity of his leadership.
Earlier in the day, Congress leaders and the elected 16 MLAs met at the party office with central observers Tariq Anwar, Mullu Vikramarka, and Krishna Allavuru, appointed by the Congress party to elect the leader of the Congress in the Assembly. However, the newly elected legislators deferred this issue to the “high command,” and the observers will submit a report to the party chief.
Sources indicated that initially, Congress sought the deputy chief minister post, which was eventually turned down by the JMM. JMM insiders stated that following the party's grand victory, Hemant Soren has emerged as the strongest leader in Jharkhand and should now be assertive in deciding cabinet berths and other issues related to the smooth functioning of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc alliance in the state.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle with agency inputs )
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