Governor accepts resignation; Transport Minister Champai Soren is chosen as the next leader of the JMM Legislature Party; On February 1, the Jharkhand High Court will hear a plea against an arrest in a land scam case; tribal organisations want a statewide bandh.
Hemant Soren faced an arrest by the Enforcement Directorate on January 31 in connection with a land scam case. This occurred immediately after his resignation as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand. The resignation followed prolonged questioning by ED officials at his official residence in Ranchi, lasting over seven hours. Jharkhand Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan accepted Hemant Soren’s resignation.
In the Jharkhand High Court, he has contested his arrest. On February 1, the hearing is scheduled to occur. On February 1, a number of tribal organisations called for a bandh in opposition to the arrest.
Shortly after Mr. Hemant Soren resigned, Champai Soren, the Transport Minister and senior leader of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), was elected leader of the Legislature Party. Mr. Champai Soren has served as a Seraikela MLA five times. Additionally, he actively supported the establishment of a separate State of Jharkhand in the 1990s alongside JMM supporter Shibu Soren.
The ruling alliance requires 41 MLAs in order to form the government.
Despite earlier requests for a meeting, the Governor declined, prompting Cabinet Minister Banna Gupta to appeal for Mr. Champai’s oath as Chief Minister.
“We will not allow President’s rule to be imposed in Jharkhand because we have the numbers to form the government,” JMM MLA Mithilesh Thakur declared. The BJP has made a concerted effort to overthrow our leader’s government ever since we took power.
Following a thirty-minute discussion with the Governor, Mr. Hemant Soren was escorted straight to the Ranchi ED office.
FIR directed at ED
