Hemant Soren Refuses Congress's Demand for Deputy CM Post in Jharkhand

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has rejected the Congress's request to grant them the Deputy Chief Minister’s position following the INDIA bloc’s comfortable victory in the state Assembly elections. The alliance, which secured 56 of the 81 seats, has emerged victorious, with the NDA winning just 24 seats, according to results announced by the Election Commission.

Reports reveal that Congress led by senior leader Subodh Kant Sahay, approached CM Soren with the demand. However, Soren reportedly insisted on maintaining the previous arrangement and advised the Congress to refrain from making new demands.

The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), led by Soren, clinched 34 seats out of the 43 it contested, while the Congress secured 16 seats. The RJD won 4 seats, and the CPI (ML), also part of the INDIA alliance, garnered 2 seats.

In contrast, the BJP faced a significant defeat despite vigorous campaigning by top leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. The BJP had hoped to capitalize on allegations of corruption against the incumbent government, but the results, announced on Saturday, reflected a strong preference for the ruling alliance.

CM Hemant Soren and his wife, Kalpana, both triumphed in their respective constituencies, securing record margins. Soren successfully retained his Barhait seat, defeating BJP candidate Gamliyel Hembrom by a significant margin of 39,791 votes. Despite resigning earlier this year in the wake of a money laundering case filed by the ED, Soren’s return to power was marked by overwhelming public support.