Two-time Ghatshila MLA Ramdas Soren took oath as minister in the Hemant Soren cabinet replacing former minister Champai Soren who joined BJP today.

Governor Santosh Gangwar administered the oath of office and secrecy to 61-year-old Ramdas Soren, who replaced Champai Soren after the latter quit from the JMM and the cabinet on Wednesday night.

Ramdas, a two-time MLA from Ghatshila in East Singhbhum district, will be another leader from the Santhal tribal community from the Kolhan division to take the place of Champai Soren, who was also a Santhal. Champai Soren was the higher and technical education minister in the government.

Ramdas Soren on Friday morning reached the capital Ranchi on Hemant Soren's call. On reaching Ranchi on Friday, he first went to the residence of Dishom Guru Shibu Soren and met him and took his blessings.

Before taking the oath of the minister's post, the MLA and his wife reached Guruji's residence along with the members of the entire family. The MLA and his wife touched the feet of Dishom Guru Shibu Soren and took his blessings. After this, Ramdas Soren left for Raj Bhavan to take the oath of the minister's post. Ramdas Soren has also been considered to be very trustworthy of Guruji. For this reason, he has got a place in the Hemant cabinet after Champai's departure.

Ramdas, among the senior most leaders in JMM at present alongside Stephen Marandi, is expected to be given the portfolios held by Champai Soren.

Ramdas won from Ghatshila assembly seat in 2009 and 2019. He is currently the district president of JMM in Jamshedpur.

As per his last election affidavit, he has five criminal cases pending against him.

Ramdas Soren was inducted into the state cabinet after Champai Soren resigned as a minister and an MLA on Wednesday. He joined the BJP this afternoon.

Champai Soren, who had taken oath as a minister in the Hemant Soren cabinet last month, also quit the JMM on Wednesday, claiming that the state government's “present style of functioning and policies” compelled him to leave the party he served for many years.

Champai Soren became the chief minister of Jharkhand on February 2, shortly after Hemant Soren resigned as the CM before being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case. Champai quit the post on July 3 and Hemant took oath as the CM again on July 4, after he was released on bail.