Champai Soren, a senior leader of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), has been sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Jharkhand. The oath of office was administered by State Governor CP Radhakrishnan at Raj Bhawan in Ranchi.
His swearing-in came after Hemant Soren was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a land scam on Wednesday night. Congress leader Alamgir Alam and Rashtriya Janata Dal’s (RJD) Satyanand Bhogta also took oath as ministers.
Alongside Soren, Congress’ Alamgir Alam and RJD’s Satyanand Bhokta also took the oath as a ministers in the Jharkhand cabinet.
After the swearing in, several legislators left for Hyderabad ahead of the floor test in the assembly. This is an effort by the alliance to protect its flock.
In the 81 member Jharkhand assembly Jharkhand Mukti Morcha has 29, its ally the Congress has 17 seats while the RJD and the CPI (ML) have 1 seat each. With the support of 43 MLAs the INDIA bloc has the numbers to sail through a floor test.
On Thursday, Jharkhand Governor CP Radhakrishnan invited Champai Soren to Raj Bhavan to form the government in the state. Champai Soren, a loyalist of JMM leader Hemant Soren, has been mandated to demonstrate his majority in a floor test, which will be held within the next 10 days.
Champai Soren, the state transport minister, is a seven-time MLA, and he represents the Seraikella constituency in Jharkhand. Before joining the JMM, he was an independent MLA.
Earlier on Wednesday evening, JMM Chief Soren met Governor Radhakrishnan at Raj Bhawan and handed over his resignation after over six hours of questioning by the ED in connection with a money laundering probe linked to the alleged land scam case.
Meanwhile, JMM leader and former chief minister of Jharkhand, Hemant Soren, has been sent to five-day custody of the Enforcement Directorate by the High Court in connection with an alleged land scam case.
Hemant Soren was arrested by the ED after several summons in the alleged land scam case and several hours of questioning on Wednesday night.
The probe pertains to huge amounts of proceeds of crime generated by forging official records by showing ‘fake sellers’ and purchasers in the guise of forged or bogus documents to acquire huge parcels of land having value in crores.
( inputs from ANI)