Ranchi, July 4: In a significant political development in Jharkhand, Hemant Soren is set to return as Chief Minister after Champai Soren resigned from the position. This decision came after a crucial meeting of the Gathbandhan parties in the state capital.
Champai Soren, accompanied by leaders from the Gathbandhan coalition and Hemant Soren, submitted his resignation to Governor CP Radhakrishnan earlier today. The decision to reinstate Hemant Soren was solidified during this meeting.
Hemant Soren had resigned earlier this year following allegations of involvement in a land scam case by the Enforcement Directorate. However, following his release from imprisonment, the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) legislators expressed their support for his return as CM in a meeting held on Tuesday.
Sources indicate that Champai Soren, who took over the chief ministerial role five months ago after Hemant Soren’s resignation, has agreed to step down in favor of Hemant Soren’s leadership.
A senior MLA explained the rationale behind this decision, stating, “If the alliance fights elections under Champai Soren, and if Gathbandhan returns to power, it will be difficult for Hemant Soren to become Chief Minister, as the mandate will be for Champai Soren. This could create confusion for ministers, MLAs, and cadres during the assembly polls, as there would be two power centers. Hemant Soren, having been implicated in a fake case, can better take on the BJP-led NDA and reach out to the people with this message.”
CPIML MLA Vinod Singh, whose party supports the Gathbandhan government, emphasized the need for a strong leader, saying, “There should be a senapati (leader) of the fight. So Hemant Soren must lead from the front in the upcoming election.”
The Jharkhand assembly elections are scheduled for December. However, Hemant Soren has claimed that the BJP wants early elections, potentially in September-October, coinciding with the Haryana and Maharashtra state elections.
During Hemant Soren’s incarceration, his wife, Kalpana Murmu Soren, successfully contested and won a by-election.
The Gathbandhan coalition currently holds 48 out of 81 seats in the Jharkhand assembly, with 29 MLAs from JMM, 17 from Congress, and one each from RJD and CPIML.
