Hemant Soren Sworn in as 14th Chief Minister of Jharkhand; INDIA Bloc Shows Unity in Ranchi Ceremony

Hemant Soren took the oath of office as the 14th Chief Minister of Jharkhand in a grand ceremony held in Ranchi on Thursday, marking the beginning of his fourth term in office. The event, which was a testament to political unity, saw prominent leaders from the opposition INDIA bloc in attendance, including Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav, RJD's Tejaswi Yadav, and several others.

The swearing-in ceremony was not just a personal milestone for Soren but also a symbol of the solidarity within the INDIA alliance, which showcased its strength and cohesion for the first time since the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where the BJP was significantly reduced to 240 seats in the national parliament.

“I thank the people of Jharkhand for this trust. BJP believes in tokenism, show people that they made a tribal woman the President of India but in reality they don’t care for the tribals. This government will work for the people”, said Hemant Soren during the ceremony.


Jharkhand Election Results: JMM Alliance Emerges Victorious

Soren's swearing-in follows a decisive victory for the JMM-led alliance in the recently concluded Jharkhand Assembly elections. The results, declared on Saturday, saw the alliance securing 56 of the 81 seats in the state assembly. The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), which contested 41 seats, won 34, while the Congress secured 16 out of 30 seats. The RJD and CPI-ML also contributed to the alliance’s win, claiming six and four seats, respectively.

Hemant Soren’s Political Journey

At 49 years old, Hemant Soren’s political career has spanned over a decade, with notable roles both in the state and national political landscapes. He began his political career in 2009 when he was elected to the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly. Soren first became Deputy Chief Minister in 2010, during an alliance with the BJP under Chief Minister Arjun Munda. He later became the Chief Minister in 2013 after forging an alliance with Congress and RJD.

In 2014, the BJP came to power in Jharkhand, and Soren took over as Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly. His JMM-Congress alliance made a comeback in the 2019 Assembly elections, paving the way for Soren to begin his second term as Chief Minister.

Earlier this year, Soren faced a turbulent period when he was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in an alleged money laundering. Despite the charges, which he has vehemently denied, accusing the BJP of using government agencies for political targeting, Soren's arrest and imprisonment brought significant attention. His wife, Kalpana Soren, stepped into the political spotlight during his absence, leading the opposition's campaign and eventually winning an MLA seat from Gandey.

Key Cabinet Decisions Post-Swearing-In

Soon after the swearing-in, in one of the first decisions taken by the new cabinet, the government approved an increase in the Jharkhand Mukhyamantri Mainiya Samman Yojana, raising the monthly assistance under the scheme to ₹2,500, effective from December 2024. A total of eight key decisions were approved during the meeting of the Council of Ministers, which was chaired by Soren.

Among the other significant decisions, the cabinet appointed Prof. Stephen Marandi as the pro-tem speaker to administer the oath of office to newly elected members of the Legislative Assembly. It was also decided that the first session of the new assembly will be convened from December 9 to December 12.