Hemant Soren Returns as Jharkhand Chief Minister

On July 8, former Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren took oath as a Minister in the Hemant Soren-led Jharkhand cabinet at Raj Bhavan in Ranchi. Champai Soren had resigned from the Chief Minister post on July 3, paving the way for Hemant Soren to become the 13th Chief Minister of Jharkhand on July 4.

New Ministers Sworn In

Along with Champai Soren, JMM leaders Baidya Nath Ram, Babi Devi, Mithilesh Thakur, Deepak Birua, and Hafizul Hasan took oath as Ministers. Congress leaders Rameshwar Oraon, Banna Gupta, Irfan Ansari, Dipika Pandey Singh, and RJD leader Satyanand Bhokta also took oath as Ministers.

Hemant Soren Wins Floor Test

Earlier on July 8, Hemant Soren won the floor test during a special session of the state assembly with 45 MLAs voting in his favor. He was released from Birsa Munda Jail on June 28 after nearly five months in custody following bail from Jharkhand High Court in a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam. He had resigned as Chief Minister before his arrest on January 31.

Accusations and Allegations

In a video message, Hemant Soren accused the BJP of making false allegations against him, leading to his removal from the Chief Minister post. He expressed gratitude for the public’s support and vowed to continue being the voice of the people.

Political Impact

Hemant Soren’s return as Chief Minister is expected to strengthen the JMM, which won three seats in the tribal-dominated state of Jharkhand in the Lok Sabha elections. In 2019, JMM, in alliance with Congress and RJD, secured a comfortable majority with 47 seats in the 81-member house.