Hemant Soren Stakes Claim To Form Government In Jharkhand; Oath-Ceremony on Nov 28

Ranchi: Hemant Soren, on Sunday, met Jharkhand Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar and staked a claim to form the next government led by the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) in the state. Soren went to meet the governor soon after leaders of the INDI Alliance in the state unanimously elected him as the legislature party leader in a meeting. He first resigned as the chief minister of Jharkhand and later staked claim to form the government.

Talking to the media personnel after meeting the governor, Hemant Soren said, "I have staked a claim to form the government, and have handed over a support letter of alliance partners to the governor. He invited us to form the government.”

“The swearing-in ceremony will be held on November 28," he stated.

In the 2024 Jharkhand Assembly election, Hemant Soren's JMM-led alliance made a stunning comeback, on Saturday, and stormed to power in Jharkhand for a second consecutive term. The alliance won 56 seats in the 81-member assembly, while the BJP -led NDA managed only 24 seats.

Hemant Soren Will Take Oath For 4th Term

Soren will be sworn in as the 14th chief minister of Jharkhand. This will be Hemant Soren's fourth swearing-in ceremony. 

Earlier, leaders and MLAs of the alliance, during a meeting at Hemant Soren's residence here, unanimously elected him as the coalition's leader. Congress 's Jharkhand in-charge and party general secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir and senior party leader Rajesh Thakur also attended the meeting, besides legislators of the coalition parties.

Soren retained the Barhait seat by defeating BJP's Gamliyel Hembrom by a margin of 39,791 votes. 

Earlier, on January 31st this year, the Jharkhand CM had to resign as the Chief Minister after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) reached his residence to arrest him in a money laundering case. At present, he is out on bail. He was released from jail on June 28 after nearly five months in jail, as the high court granted him bail in a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam.

Hemant Soren's Political Career

Hemant Soren, the son of JMM supremo Shibu Soren, began his political career in 2009 as a Rajya Sabha member, but his tenure in the upper House of Parliament was short-lived. He resigned in 2010 to become the deputy chief minister in the BJP-led Arjun Munda government. However, the alliance collapsed in 2012, leading to President's Rule in the state. Despite this setback, Soren's resolve to lead Jharkhand never faltered.

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, and Soren became 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, which not only earned him widespread support but also set the stage for his return to power.

In 2019, Soren, with the backing of his allies Congress and RJD, reclaimed the chief minister's office. His JMM party won 30 seats. This time, the party won 34 seats, its highest-ever tally in the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly, signalling the growing popularity of his leadership.