Jharkhand: Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren submitted his resignation to Governor CP Radhakrishnan at Raj Bhavan in Ranchi on Wednesday, clearing the way for Jharkhand Mukti Morcha executive president Hemant Soren to reassume the role.
Champai Soren, after resigning, stated that the ruling coalition had selected Hemant Soren as their leader.
“Not long ago, I assumed the role of Chief Minister and took on the state’s responsibilities. Once Hemant Soren returned, our coalition made the decision to elect him as our leader. Consequently, I have stepped down from the Chief Minister’s position,” Champai Soren informed the press.
Hemant Soren was granted bail by the Jharkhand High Court in a money laundering case connected to a supposed land scam and was released from Birsa Munda Jail on June 28, after nearly five months of detention. Prior to his arrest on January 31, he had resigned from the Chief Minister’s office.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey earlier criticized the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha for juggling the CM’s post.
“The era of Champai Soren in Jharkhand has concluded. In this family-centric party, those outside the family lack a political future. I hope the chief minister is inspired by Bhagwan Birsa Munda and confronts the corrupt Hemant Soren,” he commented on X.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also commented on the leadership shift in Jharkhand, suggesting that a prominent tribal leader was being sidelined.
Hemant Soren was detained by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in January on allegations connected to a land scam and money laundering. The investigation revolves around the alleged creation of huge profits through the purported falsification of official documents, involving “bogus sellers and buyers” to obtain vast tracts of land.