Hemant Soren to take oath as Jharkhand CM for third time on November 28

The JMM-led alliance won 56 of the 81 seats in the Assembly elections, the results of which were announced on Saturday. All eyes are now on what the configuration of the 12-member council of ministers in the government will be.

According to JMM sources, the new Cabinet, in addition to “adequate representation” of its INDIA bloc allies was likely to “prominently feature” women — whom the JMM is certain are behind its historic political feat in a state which has so far seen cyclical governments led by different parties and something that polling figures attest to — as well as individuals from the Mahto community.

Sources in winning alliance said that the new government will have Cabinet ministers from all five regions: Santhal Pargana, North and South Chotanagpur, Palamu, Kolhan divisions.

Sources said that JMM leaders from Kolhan such Deepak Biruwa, who represent Ho community; Sabita Mahato who represent Kudmi Mahato community in the area are likely to become the ministers.

On the other hand, the new INDIA bloc government’s aim, sources said, would be to “work and perform better than before” even as they attributed the win to “an undercurrent for parivartan, badlav (change)” in regards to the current condition of the state.

“Today, we have begun the process of the formation of new government. As part of that, we have tendered resignations from our current positions and placed a request and staked a claim to form the new government. The governor has handed me the responsibility of the interim CM and invited us to form the government,” Soren said after meeting Governor Santosh Gangwar.

“The Congress prabhari (in-charge), the RJD prabhari and the prabhari of the Left were with me in this process. We have also handed over letters of support from our respective MLAs…we are making arrangements for the ceremony on November 28,” he said.

Following this, victorious Congress MLAs went into a huddle, presided over by Congress general secretary and Jharkhand in-charge Ghulam Ahmad Mir, related to the next course of action at a prominent city hotel. Sources said the proceedings of the discussions will now be relayed to the party’s high command in Delhi for further action.