Champai Soren, a seasoned leader of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), was sworn in today as the new Chief Minister of Jharkhand. The 67-year-old assumed office more than 24 hours after his predecessor, Hemant Soren, was arrested in connection with an alleged money laundering case. Governor CP Radhakrishnan’s decision to invite Champai Soren for the oath came after the latter’s plea during a meeting earlier in the day.
In a letter to the Governor, Champai Soren highlighted the absence of a government for 18 hours, expressing concern about the confusion. He urged the constitutional head to take prompt steps for the formation of a popular government.
The delay in the Governor’s decision, coupled with a narrow majority, led to concerns within the ruling alliance about possible defections to the opposition BJP through an “Operation Lotus.” However, inclement weather prevented the MLAs from traveling to Telangana, and they were subsequently accommodated in a government guest house.
Following these developments, Champai Soren received a call from the Governor, prompting the swearing-in ceremony. The ruling alliance, comprising JMM, Congress, and RJD, has 47 MLAs in the 81-member house, with 43 currently supporting Champai Soren. The BJP holds 25 seats, AJSU has three, and the remaining seats are divided among NCP, a Left party (one each), and three independent MLAs.