JMM leader Hemant Soren has staked his claim to form the next government in Jharkhand, meeting Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar on Sunday, just after being unanimously elected as the legislature party leader by the INDIA bloc in the state. Following his meeting with the Governor, Soren was appointed as the working Chief Minister until the new government is officially sworn in on November 28.
Prior to meeting the Governor, Soren resigned as Chief Minister, signaling his intent to form the new government. “I have submitted a letter of support from our alliance partners to the Governor, who invited us to form the government. The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for November 28,” Soren confirmed.
In a remarkable turnaround, Hemant Soren’s JMM-led alliance achieved a resounding victory in the Jharkhand Assembly elections, securing 56 of the 81 seats, despite a vigorous challenge from the BJP-led NDA, which only managed to win 24 seats. The majority mark in the state is set at 41 seats.
Soren’s victory marks his second consecutive term as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand. At 49, he is set to lead the state, which has long been a focal point for tribal identity and aspirations. This triumph is particularly significant considering Soren’s turbulent year, which included a legal battle and an arrest by the Enforcement Directorate. Despite these challenges, he managed to secure a decisive win in his Barhait seat by 39,791 votes.
Soren’s wife, Kalpana Soren, also played a vital role during his absence, steering the party and winning the Gandey seat by 17,142 votes.
The victory was hailed as a “celebration of democracy” by Soren, who expressed his gratitude to voters for their support. For the BJP, the results dealt a significant blow as the party struggled to make inroads against the united and well-coordinated campaign of the INDIA alliance.
