Hemant Soren is set to be sworn in as the 14th Chief Minister of Jharkhand at the Morabadi Ground in Ranchi on Thursday, November 28. Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar will administer the oath of office and secrecy to the 49-year-old Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader at 4 PM. This marks Soren’s fourth stint as Chief Minister.
JMM-Led Alliance’s Resounding Victory
Soren retained his Barhait assembly seat with a margin of 39,791 votes in the recently concluded elections. The JMM-led alliance secured a notable victory, winning 56 of the 81 seats in the Assembly. The alliance includes the JMM, Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation. The BJP-led NDA, in comparison, won 24 seats.
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The JMM achieved its highest-ever tally, winning 34 of the 43 seats it contested. The Congress secured 21 seats, the RJD won four, and the CPI(ML) Liberation took two seats.
As per the alliance’s power-sharing arrangement, the RJD is expected to secure a ministerial berth in Soren’s cabinet. Notably, Soren is expected to take the oath alone, with the cabinet expansion planned after a vote of confidence in the Assembly.
Victory Speech
Expressing gratitude to the people of Jharkhand, Soren said, “This victory reflects the aspirations of the people, and we will work towards fulfilling them. This is a victory of the people and their vision for a peaceful and progressive Jharkhand.”
He added, “The mandate Jharkhand has given to us is a responsibility we are ready to serve with dedication and resolve.”
Preparations for the event are in full swing, with special security arrangements and decorations across Ranchi. Soren, along with senior officials, visited Morabadi Ground to review the arrangements.
Attendance of Key Political Leaders
Several prominent leaders are expected to attend the ceremony.
- Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge
- Congress leader Rahul Gandhi
- NCP(SP) chief Sharad Pawar
- West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee
- Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma
- Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann
- Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu
- CPI(ML) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya
- AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal
- Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray
- Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav
- PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti
- Tamil Nadu minister Udhayanidhi Stalin
- Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar
- Bihar’s LoP Tejashwi Yadav
Soren extended invitations to various leaders and expressed appreciation for their support, saying, “It’s heartening to have such esteemed leaders join us for this important occasion.”
Meeting with PM Modi
Ahead of the event, Soren and his wife met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi. Discussing Jharkhand’s growth and development, Soren remarked, “I had a constructive meeting with the Prime Minister, where we discussed Jharkhand’s growth and development. His support is valuable as we move forward with our plans.”
Soren also met alliance leaders, emphasizing their collective commitment to Jharkhand’s progress: “We are united in our goal to work for the betterment of Jharkhand and its people.”