This is an archive article published on November 24, 2024
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.
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader Hemant Soren, following several hours of deliberations with his INDIA bloc allies on Sunday, announced that he had been chosen as the leader of the House and would take oath as chief minister later this week.
Soren, who presided over a meeting of INDIA bloc leaders from the JMM, the Congress, the RJD and the CPI (ML) at his camp office in Ranchi for several hours starting 11 am, later reached Raj Bhavan to stake a claim to form a JMM-led government for the third time — a first in Jharkhand’s 24-year history.
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.
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“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.
Jatin Anand is an Assistant Editor with the national political bureau of The Indian Express. With over 16 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is a seasoned expert in national governance, electoral politics, and bureaucratic affairs. Having covered high-stakes beats including the Election Commission of India (ECI), intelligence, and urban development, Jatin provides authoritative analysis of the forces shaping Indian democracy. He is an alumnus of Zakir Husain Delhi College (DU) and the prestigious Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai, where he specialized in Print Journalism.
Expertise
High-Stakes Beat Coverage: Throughout his decade-and-a-half career, Jatin has covered some of the most sensitive and influential beats in the country, including:
The Election Commission of India (ECI): Monitoring electoral policy, reforms, and the conduct of national and state polls.
National Security & Intelligence: Reporting on the internal mechanisms and developments within India's security apparatus.
Urban Development: Analyzing the policies and bureaucratic processes driving the transformation of India’s cities.
National Political Bureau: In his current role, he tracks the intersection of policy and politics, offering deep-dive reporting on the Union government and national political movements.
Academic Credentials:
Zakir Husain Delhi College (DU): Alumnus of one of Delhi's premier institutions.
Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai: Specialized in Print Journalism at India's most prestigious journalism school. ... Read More
