18 Hours Later, No Decision On Jharkhand CM Even As Champai Soren Claims Majority

Almost 18 hours after Hemant Soren resigned as Jharkhand Chief Minister, there has been no decision yet on the new chief minister of the state. Champai Soren, the newly-elected Leader of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) legislative party, met Governor CP Radhakrishnan on Thursday to stake claim to form a government amid the political crisis in the state. Soren was accompanied by JMM General Secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya. However, no decision was taken on his candidature.

Also Read: JMM Mulls Shifting MLAs Outside Jharkhand Over BJP Poaching Concerns: Sources

"We have demanded that the process to start the formation of the Government should begin. He (Governor) said that the process will begin soon," Champai said after the meeting. "Currently we have submitted the report with 43 MLAs in our support. We expect that the number will reach 46-47 so there is no problem. Our 'gathbandhan' is very strong," he added.

Bhattacharya said that the details of the oath-taking ceremony would be shared tomorrow. "We have (support of) 47 (MLAs) in House," the JMM spokesperson added.

Ahead of the meeting, the JMM-led alliance released a video showing support of 43 MLAs in the state amidst a political crisis. The state has been without a Chief Minister for 18 hours now, after party leader Hemant Soren resigned as Chief Minister, ahead of his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a land scam.

Champai Soren on Wednesday was appointed as the leader of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) party and was nominated for the Chief Minister post after party chief Hemant Soren decided to resign as CM.

Also Read: Former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren Sent To Judicial Custody For 1 Day

Jharkhand minister Banna Gupta told reporters outside the Raj Bhavan, "We have chosen Champai Soren as the leader of the Legislative Party. We came to the Raj Bhawan to request the Governor for the oath ceremony."

Champai Soren served as a state minister in the Jharkhand government led by Hemant Soren. The son of Simal Soren, a farmer hailing from Jilinggoda village in Jharkhand, Champai reportedly received his education up to the 10th grade at a government school. Marrying at a young age, Champai Soren is a parent to seven children, comprising four sons and three daughters.

Champai Soren, known as the 'Jharkhand Tiger,' actively participated in the movement advocating for the separate statehood of Jharkhand. Commencing his political journey as an independent MLA, he later aligned himself with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM). Serving as a Cabinet Minister during the tenure of BJP's Arjun Munda, Soren held office from September 11, 2010, to January 18, 2013. Subsequently, in the government led by Hemant Soren, Champai assumed the role of Minister of Food and Civil Supplies and Transport within the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha administration.

In a significant development, Hemant Soren, the former Chief Minister of Jharkhand and executive president of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), was sent to judicial custody for one day in connection with the land scam. He was seen leaving the PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) Court in Ranchi this afternoon, a day after he was arrested by Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials in connection with the scam.