Champai quits, Hemant Soren stakes claim to form new govt

Ranchi, July 3

Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren on Wednesday resigned from his post, following which JMM leader Hemant Soren called on Governor CP Radhakrishnan and staked a claim to form the government.

Earlier in the day, leaders and MLAs of the ruling coalition at a meeting at Champai Soren’s residence here unanimously decided to elect Hemant Soren as the JMM legislature party leader.

“I have resigned as per the decision of the JMM-led alliance. Our alliance is strong,” Champai Soren said after coming out of the Raj Bhavan. “All know what had happened with Hemant Soren Ji… I was given the responsibility by the coalition partners. Now, the alliance has decided in favour of Hemant Soren Ji,” he said.

Hemant Soren told the media that all formalities to form the government had been completed. “Everything will be disclosed soon,” the JMM executive president said when asked about the swearing-in ceremony.

He would be the Jharkhand CM for the third time.

The ruling coalition delegation that met the Governor included state Congress incharge Ghulam Ahmad Mir, state Congress president Rajesh Thakur, RJD minister Satyanand Bhokta, CPI(ML) legislator Vinod Singh, besides Champai Soren and Hemant Soren.

After spending around five months in jail, Hemant Soren was released on June 28 after the HC granted him bail in a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam. He had resigned as the CM shortly before his arrest on January 31.