BOM: Hemant Soren leaves for Raj Bhavan, can take oath as CM

New Delhi. New Delhi. Former Jharkhand CM and JMM working president Hemant Soren leaving CM Champai Soren’s residence. The JMM-led ruling coalition legislative party meeting was held at CM Champai Soren’s residence in Ranchi today.

Amid speculations of JMM leader Hemant Soren taking charge again as Jharkhand Chief Minister, state CM Champai Soren may meet Governor CP Radhakrishnan on Wednesday evening and submit his resignation. Hemant Soren was released from Birsa Munda Jail on June 28 after nearly five months after getting bail from the Jharkhand High Court in a money laundering case linked to the alleged land scam. He resigned from the post of Chief Minister before his arrest on January 31.

Sources said that the parties of the ruling coalition in Jharkhand had a meeting at Champai Soren’s official residence and it was decided that Hemant Soren should become the Chief Minister as he is the face of the Indian Bloc in the state. Sources said Champai Soren has sought time from the Raj Bhavan and is expected to meet the governor at 7:30 pm. After being released on bail, Hemant Soren on Saturday said the state is a land of courageous people and there is no need to fear anyone.

Earlier in the day, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey took a dig at the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha over the expected leadership change in the state. “The era of Champai Soren is over in Jharkhand. People outside the family have no political future in a family-centric party. I want the CM to take inspiration from Lord Birsa Munda and stand against the corrupt Hemant Soren ji,” he posted on Twitter. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also reacted to the expected leadership change in Jharkhand and alleged that a senior tribal leader was being removed.

“It is extremely sad that a senior tribal leader has been removed from the post of Chief Minister by the JMM and Congress party in Jharkhand. I am sure the people of Jharkhand will strongly condemn this action and strongly reject it. Hemant Soren was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in January on charges related to an alleged land scam and money laundering. The investigation relates to the generation of huge amounts of income through alleged falsification of official records, involving “fake sellers and buyers” acquiring large amounts of land.