(Image source from: x.com/JharkhandCMO)
Hemant Soren, the leader of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand today. This comes after the decisive victory of the INDIA opposition bloc in the state's recent Assembly elections. Top leaders of the INDIA coalition, including Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Akhilesh Yadav, Mamata Banerjee, Arvind Kejriwal, and Tejashwi Yadav, attended the swearing-in ceremony at Ranchi's Moradabad Ground. Hemant Soren was the only one to take oath today, as the allies in the Mahagathbandhan are still negotiating the cabinet positions. In the elections, the JMM-led alliance won 56 out of the 81 seats in the state Assembly, with the JMM itself winning 34 out of the 41 seats it contested. Hemant Soren started his political career with a brief stint in the Rajya Sabha before becoming an MLA in 2009, and he also served as the Deputy Chief Minister from 2010 to 2013 when the JMM was in an alliance with the BJP and Arjun Munda was the Chief Minister.
अतिथियों को जोहार… pic.twitter.com/RUTKdCVma9
— Office of Chief Minister, Jharkhand (@JharkhandCMO) November 28, 2024
In 2013, Hemant Soren became the Chief Minister through an alliance between the JMM, Congress, and RJD. In the 2014 state election, the BJP won and Soren became the Leader of the Opposition. The JMM-Congress alliance won the 2019 election, allowing Soren to start his second term as Chief Minister. Earlier this year, Soren was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case, which he denies and claims is politically motivated. Before his arrest, Soren resigned, and his close aide Champai Soren became the Chief Minister. After over six months in jail, Soren was granted bail and tried to resume his role as Chief Minister, but Champai Soren quit the JMM, alleging mistreatment. Soren's imprisonment also brought his wife Kalpana into the political spotlight, as she campaigned extensively in his absence. Kalpana was also elected as an MLA in the recent Assembly polls. The BJP had intensively campaigned to win in Jharkhand during the election.
झारखण्ड के मुख्यमंत्री के रूप में श्री @HemantSorenJMM ने शपथ ली। pic.twitter.com/JOs7uKAIFt
— Office of Chief Minister, Jharkhand (@JharkhandCMO) November 28, 2024
The Hemant Soren government's public assistance programs and the surge of public support following his detention overpowered the BJP's election drive, allowing the JMM to regain power, despite the ruling party's campaign criticizing the government for enabling the influx of Bangladeshi refugees.
