Former Education Minister Jagarnath Mahto’s widow Baby Devi was sworn-in as the 11th Minister, in the Hemant Soren-led government. Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan administered the oath of office and secrecy to Baby Devi who is a housewife and not an MLA at present. Later, she was allocated the Excise department portfolio.
Former State Education Minister Mahto had passed away at a Chennai hospital on April 6, 2023.
The swearing-in ceremony remained a 10- minute function in which very limited persons, including Chief Minister Hemant Soren and JMM supremo Shibu Soren besides important officials having their role during the ceremony were present. During the swearing-in ceremony, Baby Devi’s competence as a minister was reflected when she was noticed facing problems in reading the papers she had given.
Her husband Jagarnath Mahato, was a prominent leader of the JMM, got elected as an MLA from the Dumri Assembly constituency in Giridih district four times in the past. He enjoyed considerable support from people there.
He had to undergo lung transplant following Covid related complications in the past but could not fully recover and required to seek medical attention often. He was once again shifted to Chennai for treatment earlier this year and finally died at a hospital there on April 6. By inducting Mahto's widow in his cabinet, chief minister Hemant Soren is trying to score a point against the Opposition, observers feel. He also did the same in the past when another minister, Haji Hussain Ansari, had died and Soren inducted the deceased minister's son, Hafizul Ansari who was not an MLA that time, as a minister of the state.
Jagarnath Mahto was a four-time MLA from Dumri Assembly seat in Giridih and is survived by a son and four daughters. Initially there was talk of offering the Ministerial berth to his son but he is below 25 years. Party sources said that keeping the OBC vote bank in mind Soren has taken the decision to allot Ministerial berth to Mahto’s wife. The by-election for Dumri Assembly seat is going to be announced soon and following the oath-taking ceremony Baby Devi is being seen as a confirmed candidate from Dumri.
However, there were some controversies over the entry of the two ministers in the Raj Bhawan. Tourism Minister Hafizul Ansari, who arrived with a large number of the JMM workers, was stopped at the Raj Bhawan gate. The Raj Bhawan officials, according to sources, asked him to go alone to the swearing-in ceremony as there was not enough space for the party workers at the Darbar hall of Raj Bhawan. However, Hasan protested it and blocked the Raj Bhawan gate. In the meantime, drinking water and sanitation department minister Mithilesh Thakur also reached there and he too could not get entry as the gate was blocked. Later, according to sources, a CMO official intervened and thereafter the minister lifted the blockade.