Champai Soren resigns as Jharkhand CM, Hemant Soren set to return as Chief Minister

Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], July 3 (ANI): Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren resigned from the post just five months after taking oath, setting the ball rolling for Jharkhand Mukti Morcha executive president Hemant Soren to again take over the role and said that the ruling alliance had chosen Hemant Soren as the leader.
"A few days ago, I was made the Chief Minister and I got the responsibility of the state. After Hemant Soren was back, our alliance took this decision and we chose Hemant Soren as our leader. Now, I have resigned from the post of Chief Minster," Champai Soren told reporters.
Earlier on February 2, Champai Soren took oath as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand in the Raj Bhavan.
Following Champai Soren's resignation, Hemant Soren staked claim to form the government.
After staking a claim to form government in Jharkhand, the JMM executive president said that the details of everything would be shared soon.
"The CM (Champai Soren) has told you everything...We will tell you everything in detail. We have followed all procedures," said Hemant Soren.
Hemant Soren was released from the Birsa Munda Jail on June 28 after nearly five months following bail from Jharkhand High Court in a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam. He had resigned as Chief Minister before his arrest on January 31.
JMM MP Mahua Maji heaped praise on the outgoing Chief Minister and former CM Hemant Soren's decision of appointing Champai Soren as the CM before going to jail.
"ED arrested the then Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren and he had to resign from his post. He would not have resigned if he wanted just like Arvind Kejriwal is still the CM of Delhi. He proposed the name of Champai Soren for the post of CM. Now, Jharkhand HC granted bail to Hemant Soren and stated that ED does not have any proof against him... After he is out, our alliance MLAs have elected Hemant Soren as their leader and CM Champai Soren also wanted him to be the Chief Minister," Maji said.
Congress leader Banna Gupta the party has elected Hemant Soren as their leader.
"Champai Soren has tendered his resignation and we have elected Hemant Soren as our leader. We have presented the same to the Governor and requested him to give us the content to form the new govt. The cabinet will be decided by our top leadership in Delhi and we will follow that," Banna Gupta said.
Jharkhand Congress President Rajesh Thakur attacked the BJP and said that the agenda of the BJP has been exposed and Hemant Soren is back, the INDIA bloc decided to hand over the CM post back to him.
"BJP is shocked. They tried to use the investigative agencies to end Hemant Soren's political career. Hemant Soren is the son of a man who spent his life fighting against Mahajans, that is BJP... Hemant Soren was forced to resign 5 months ago and Champai Soren stepped up... Now that the agenda of the BJP has been exposed and Hemant Soren is back, the INDIA bloc decided to hand over the CM post back to him," he said.
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party attacked Hemanta Soren and JMM over the decision and said that the power remains restricted to the family.
Jharkhand BJP spokesperson Pratul Shah Deo said that the power remains restricted to the family and that is a sad state of affairs.
"Hemant Soren is again all set to become the chief minister and unceremoniously he has removed the present chief minister, Champai Soren from his post...Hemant Soren is likely to take over as the next chief minister in the next couple of days. We think it's an insult to the tribals of the state of Jharkhand because, for the Soren family, nobody outside the family has any right, be it a tribal, be it a non-tribal, to become the chief minister. The power remains restricted to the family and that is a sad state of affairs," Deo said.
Earlier in the day, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey took a dig at Jharkhand Mukti Morcha over the leadership change in the state.
"The Champai Soren era is over in Jharkhand. In the family-oriented party, people outside the family have no political future. I wish the chief minister drew inspiration from Bhagwan Birsa Munda and stood up against the corrupt Hemant Soren ji," he posted on X.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also reacted to the change of leadership in Jharkhand and alleged that a senior tribal leader was being removed.
"The removal of a senior tribal leader from the post of Chief Minister in Jharkhand by the JMM and Congress party is deeply distressing. I am certain that the people of Jharkhand will strongly condemn this action and firmly reject it," he said in a post on X.
Hemant Soren was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in January on charges related to an alleged land scam and money laundering.
The investigation concerns the purported generation of substantial proceeds through the alleged forgery of official records, involving "fake sellers and buyers" to acquire large parcels of land.
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. (ANI)