Hemant Soren Returns As Jharkhand Chief Minister After 5 Months

In Jail Champai Soren's brief ascension to Chief Minister was accompanied by a power struggle inside the JMM, as the party sought to replace Hemant Soren.

Hemant Soren was sworn in as Chief Minister of Jharkhand this evening, capping a five-month political arc that began in January, when he resigned minutes before being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate, which accused him of a land fraud worth crores, and ended in June, when he was granted bail by a High Court that said records did not show his "direct involvement" in the alleged scam.

After taking oath, Mr Soren stated, "Since 2019, the current'mahagathbandan' administration has done all of the job in the best interests of the people here. Champai Soren carried such projects through political ups and downs... because I was in jail. (Now), thanks to the court's ruling, I can come out..."

The Chief Minister's wife, Kalpana Soren, who was once considered a prospective replacement for her husband's post, said he would "continue to work for (the) people... as he has always," but issued a warning (of sorts) to the party ahead of a state election only months away. "... we have less time now," Mrs Soren told reporters.

Hemant Soren was sworn in at Raj Bhavan at 5 p.m., with his father, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha patriarch and two-time former Chief Minister Shibu Soren, in attendance. The son had met his father just before being sworn in. "Met respected baba and took his blessings to deal with upcoming challenges," according to him.
 
Cabinet ministers will be sworn into office on Sunday. There were early indications that Mr Soren will also be sworn in on Sunday.

Mr Soren resigned from the Raj Bhavan five months ago, following a drama involving "the case of the missing Chief Minister," to escape the humiliation of being the first sitting state chief to be arrested.

Before taking oath today, he uploaded a video statement on X in which he criticized "arrogant people intoxicated with power (a reference to the BJP) who tried to silence me" and said, "Today, the public opinion of the people of Jharkhand will rise again." "Jai Jharkhand, Jai Hindu."

Mr. Soren's return to grab the state's top office was never in doubt. Champai Soren, the senior JMM leader recruited in to replace Hemant Soren, stood down, even if he was, and he did not disguise his displeasure, something he was hesitant to do. Champai Soren, who may be chosen Executive President of the JMM's parliamentary party, stated during a meeting that he had been "insulted".