Hemant Soren, leader of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), was sworn in as Chief Minister on Thursday, following the INDIA bloc’s resounding victory in the Assembly elections. Prominent leaders from the INDIA Opposition bloc gathered at Moradabad Ground in Ranchi for the swearing-in ceremony.
Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav, Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal, Samajwadi Party head Akhilesh Yadav, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool leader Mamata Banerjee, and Rahul Gandhi, the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, were present.
The JMM-led alliance gained 56 seats in the 81-member House in the state polls, the results of which were announced on Saturday. The Congress won 16 of 30 seats, while the party led by Hemant Soren, which ran for 41 seats, won 34. Six seats went to RJD, while four went to CPIML.
Soren’s Political Career
Before becoming an MLA in 2009, the 49-year-old began his political career with a brief term in the Rajya Sabha. From 2010 to 2013, while JMM was in an alliance with the BJP and Arjun Munda was the chief minister, he held the position of deputy chief minister.
With the JMM forming alliances with the Congress and RJD, he was appointed Chief Minister later in 2013. Soren became the leader of opposition in the Assembly after the BJP won the 2014 state election.
In 2019, Soren began his second term as Chief Minister after the JMM-Congress alliance won the 2019 Assembly election.
Soren’s Arrest
In connection with a money laundering investigation, the Enforcement Directorate arrested him earlier this year. Soren has refuted the accusations and charged that the BJP is utilising its investigation agency for its own political agenda.
He resigned before being arrested and Champai Soren, a close ally, assumed the position of Chief Minister.
Soren was granted bail after spending more than six months in jail. When Hemant sought to resume the role of Chief Minister, Champai Soren left the JMM, claiming he had been humiliated.
Kalpana, Soren’s wife, also entered politics as a result of his imprisonment. While her husband was away, Soren fought an aggressive campaign and went to large political gatherings. She was again elected as an MLA in this Assembly election.
The BJP made a determined effort to secure victory in Jharkhand, with senior leaders visiting the state during the election campaign. Their campaign accused the ruling party of facilitating the infiltration of Bangladeshi refugees, among other concerns.
However, the public welfare schemes implemented by Hemant Soren’s government, coupled with a wave of sympathy following his arrest, overshadowed the BJP’s efforts and returned the JMM to power.
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