While Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) workers and supporters celebrated ‘Adhikar Diwas’ (Rights Day), their party’s newly-elected legislature party leader Hemant Soren took oath of office of the CM of Jharkhand on Saturday.
Governor Syed Ahmed administered the oath to Hemant, bringing to an end about six months of President’s Rule. Congress legislature party leader Rajendra Prasad Singh and RJD legislative body head Annapurna Devi were also sworn in as Ministers in Hemant’s Cabinet, according to prior understanding of coalition partners JMM, Congress and RJD.
Hemant, who heads the ninth Ministry in less than 13 years, became the fifth tribal Chief Minister after Babulal Marandi (once), Arjun Munda (thrice), Shibu Soren (thrice) and Madhu Koda (once) since the State was created on November 15, 2000.
Interestingly, this is the third Government in the same House, which was constituted after the results threw up a fractured mandate in the November-December 2009 Assembly elections.
The oath-taking ceremony was organised at the jam-packed Birsa Mandap of Raj Bhavan, attended by over 1,500 people, including senior leaders, MlAs, MPs, Government officials, eminent personalities of the state and hundreds of JMM, Congress and RJD supporters.
Hemant was accompanied by his father, JMM patriarch Shibu Soren, and his mother Rupi. A group of Hemant’s close friends and family members of Rajendra Singh and Annapurna Devi were also present.
MlAs and senior leaders of the BJP, JVM and CPI(Ml) boycotted the ceremony as their parties protested against the political ‘manoeuvrings’ through which the Government was formed, according to them.
However, almost all Congress MlAs — except Sawana lakra, who has been convicted and jailed for murder — were present on the occasion. Former Union Minister and Ranchi MP Subodh Kant Sahay came along with Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Kumar.
From the JMM’s side, the Chief Minister’s sister in-law Sita and MlA Nalin did not turn up to witness the occasion. The duo is facing corruption and other charges and is evading arrest.
Amid celebrations by party workers across the State, Hemant went straight to his office at Project Building Secretariat and convened a Cabinet meeting with his colleagues and top officials. It was decided that the Government will request the Governor to call a special session of the Assembly on July 18, so the Government can prove majority on the floor of the House.
Hemant, who gave the Governor a list of 43 MlAs supporting him in the 82-member Assembly, is expected to expand his Ministry after taking the floor test.
The Chief Minister also addressed the media for the first time after assuming charge and said work in the State will go on in accordance with the vision of ‘Disom Guru’ Shibu Soren. “I want to share my personal feelings with you. When I took the oath today, it felt as if honourable Dishom Guru was inside Hemant Soren. All governance will be done under his guidance and patronage,” he said.