Leader of the INDIA block’s legislature party in Jharkhand, Hemant Soren, met Governor Santosh Gangwar at the Raj Bhawan in Ranchi on Sunday, November 24 and staked his claim to form a new government in the state. Accompanied by an eight-member delegation, the incumbent chief minister submitted a letter of support from 56 MLAs to the Governor. Accepting Soren’s claim, the Governor invited him to form the government and asked him to continue as acting chief minister (CM) until a new arrangement is made.

Speaking to media persons after the meeting, Soren announced that the INDIA Alliance has initiated the process of forming a new government. “Today, we submitted our resignation for the current government to the Governor and proposed forming the next one. We will now focus on the next steps,” he stated.

Soren also revealed that the swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, November 28, at the historic Morhabadi Ground in Ranchi, though he declined to share details about the new cabinet’s composition.

Earlier in the day, INDIA block MLAs convened at the CM’s residence, where Soren was unanimously elected as the alliance leader.

It is expected that, alongside Soren as CM from the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), six MLAs will be sworn in as ministers-four from the Congress, one from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and another from the JMM. Discussions are going on regarding the potential inclusion of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Lennist) in the coalition government, with the possibility of introducing fresh faces to the cabinet.

As four ministers of Hemant Soren’s cabinet lost the Assembly polls, new faces will surely be inducted in the cabinet. It is being said that Hemant Soren’s wife Kalpana Soren or his brother Basant Soren will be inducted in the cabinet apart from the loyal faces of JMM.

From the Congress’ side senior leaders such as Pradeep Yadav, Rameshwar Oraon, RK Kishore and young leaders such as Shilpi Neha Tirkey, Sona Ram Sinku, Shwetta Singh and Jaimagal Singh are being considered as probable candidates for ministerial berths.

Sources said that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, senior leader Rahul Gandhi, and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav may attend Soren’s swearing-in ceremony on November 28.

After the 2019 Assembly poll win Hemant Soren had taken oath as chief minister at a grand function in Ranchi’s Morhabadi ground where he was accompanied by senior leaders of the grand alliance.