Champai Soren was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand on Friday afternoon, following the dramatic and controversial arrest of Hemant Soren by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case just two days prior. A floor test, scheduled within the next 10 days, awaits Champai Soren to prove his majority.
The 67-year-old leader, supported by 43 MLAs from the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-Congress-Rashtriya Janata Dal alliance, solidified his position as the new Chief Minister. Notably, two MLAs, one each from the Congress and the RJD, also took the oath alongside him, marking a pivotal moment in resolving the crisis gripping Jharkhand.
Champai Soren, a six-time lawmaker and the former Transport Minister in Hemant Soren’s government, emerged as the consensus candidate for the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha’s legislative party. His nomination came amid reports of a power struggle within the ruling JMM, with factions within the Soren family reportedly vying for the top post.
Efforts to meet Governor CP Radhakrishnan on Wednesday evening, immediately after Hemant Soren’s resignation and arrest, were initially thwarted, fueling speculation of potential political maneuvers by the BJP. Concerns of “poaching” attempts by the BJP led the JMM-Congress-RJD alliance to gather their MLAs and attempt to fly them to Telangana. However, the chartered planes faced difficulties due to bad weather, and the MLAs were returned under police guard to a government rest-house.
In this uncertainty, Champai Soren and Governor Radhakrishnan had a second meeting, during which the Governor acknowledged the majority-driven claim to the top post but deferred his decision. Hours later, the Governor summoned Champai Soren and invited him to form the government.
With 47 MLAs in the 81-member house, the ruling JMM-Congress-RJD alliance appears to have a majority, with the JMM contributing 29, Congress 17, and RJD 1. The BJP, with 25 MLAs, and the AJSU with three, fall short of the majority mark. The remaining seats are divided among the NCP, a Left party, and three independent MLAs.
The outcome now hinges on the commitment of the MLAs supporting Champai Soren. If all remain steadfast, he is poised to prove his majority. However, any wavering by six MLAs could provide an opportunity for the BJP to take control of the opposition-ruled state ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha election.
Meanwhile, Hemant Soren’s appeal before the Supreme Court was dismissed, directing him to seek relief from the state’s High Court. Subsequently, a special court in Ranchi remanded him to the custody of the Enforcement Directorate for five days.
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