Jharkhand News: Hemant Soren to take oath as Chief Minister for third term on July 7, says JMM leader

Hemant Soren will be sworn in Chief Minister of Jharkhand for the third term on July 7, news agency ANI said. Leaders of the INDIA bloc including JMM executive president Hemant Soren, who is also executive president of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, met Governor CP Radhakrishnan at Raj Bhavan in Ranchi on July 4.

“The Governor has invited us to form the government. The swearing-in ceremony will be held on July 7,” Supriyo Bhattacharya, JMM General Secretary, told news agency ANI.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren tendered his resignation to the Governor on July 3 and Hemant Soren staked claim to form government.

Hemant was granted bail byHigh Court on June 28. A week later, JMM’s legislature party chose Hemant as its leader on July 2 and he has submitted a request to form the government to the Governor. INDIA bloc allies of JMM in the state – the Congress and the RJD – have endorsed the decision. This, despite the ED reportedly planning to file aSpecial Leave Petition(SLP) in the Supreme Court against the High Court’s order granting him bail.

Champai is likely to be accommodated in the next Hemant Soren government as a minister.Champaiis a popular leader in the Kolhan region, which sends 14 members to Jharkhand assembly.

Polls will be held in Jharkhand, along with Maharashtra and Haryana later this year. In Jharkhand, INDIA bloc has to defend its government. The ruling coalition has to fight anti-incumbency to seek re-election in the state.

In 2019, when JMM won just one Lok Sabha seat in general election, it did well in assembly polls and unseated the BJP government led byRaghubar Das.

Hemanthas staked a claim to form the next government in Jharkhand. The current strength of the 81-member Jharkhand assembly is 76.

The leadership change has given the opposition BJP ammunition to call the JMM a family-oriented party. Former CM and Jharkhand BJP chief Babulal Marandi has said the decision showed that tribal leaders outside the Shibu Soren family were only ‘kaam chalav’ for the party.