Hemant Soren returns as Jharkhand CM, to face floor test on July 8

Hemant Soren, the newly appointed Chief Minister of Jharkhand, will face a floor test on July 8 during a special session of the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly. Hemant Soren was sworn in as the 13th Chief Minister of Jharkhand at Raj Bhavan, Ranchi.

In a veiled attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) executive president Hemant Soren criticized the BJP, stating that "arrogant people intoxicated with power" attempted to "silence" him. He expressed gratitude for the support of the people, which led to his release from jail. Hemant Soren was granted bail by the Jharkhand High Court on June 28 after spending five months in jail.

Before taking the oath, Hemant Soren posted a video message on X, criticizing the "arrogant people intoxicated with power (BJP) who tried to silence me," and proclaimed, "Today, the public opinion of the people of Jharkhand will rise again. Jai Jharkhand, Jai Hind."

He recounted the opposition's conspiracy against him and his subsequent imprisonment on January 31. "For five months, they tried to keep me inside the jail by different means. We took the legal path and people supported us. The people of the state supported us and at last the court released me from jail," Soren said in his video message.

He further stated that the opposition had falsely accused him to imprison him. "In the 2019 Jharkhand Assembly Elections, the people of Jharkhand gave our party mandate but the conspirators were unable to digest how an Adivasi youngster can sit in such a high position. At last, on January 31, they (the BJP) put false allegations on me and removed me from the post of Chief Minister. Because of the people's blessings, I'm here out sitting in front of you. We will always be the voice of the people. Today, the public opinion of the people of Jharkhand will rise again. By taking charge, the work will be carried out again," he declared.

Kalpana Soren, Hemant Soren's wife, assured that he would continue to work for the people of the state. "After the High Court order, Hemant Soren has taken over again as CM. He will continue to work for people like he has always done. We have less time now," Kalpana Soren told reporters.

Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren congratulated Hemant Soren on his appointment. "I congratulate 'Hemant Babu' for the formation of the new government. I congratulate all our alliance members," he said.

JMM MP Mahua Maji expressed confidence in Hemant Soren's leadership. "JMM is a family, not a party and all the members of this family unitedly run the government for the people. Now he has got the responsibility, so it is definitely in the interest of the people and the state. His vision to make Jharkhand the number one state, will be fulfilled now," Maji stated.

BJP leader Sita Soren commented on JMM's internal dynamics, stating, "Whenever they want, they remove someone from power or put someone in power...Only a few months are left before the elections, they (JMM) should have let him (Champai Soren) continue."

Earlier, Hemant Soren and JMM national president Shibu Soren arrived at Raj Bhavan in Ranchi for the oath ceremony. Jharkhand Governor CP Radhakrishnan administered the oath of office to Soren. Hemant Soren's return as Chief Minister follows his release on bail in a land scam case on June 28, after nearly five months in jail. He had resigned from the post before his arrest on January 31.

Hemant Soren's return to office, termed as 'Sankalp Diwas' to mark the beginning of a new era in Jharkhand, is expected to bolster the JMM, which won three seats in the tribal-dominated state in the Lok Sabha elections. In the 2019 assembly elections, JMM, in alliance with Congress and Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD), secured a comfortable majority with 47 seats in the 81-member house.