Setting the stage for Hemant Soren's return as Jharkhand's chief minister, his close aide, Champai Soren, resigned from his post just five months after taking the oath.
Champai Soren, seen as the number three in the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), was sworn in on February 2, two days after then-chief minister Hemant Soren was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a land scam. He was released on bail on June 28 by the Jharkhand High Court, which noted there was reason to believe he was "not guilty of the offence."
Champai Soren handed over his resignation to Jharkhand Governor CP Radhakrishnan on Wednesday evening. Expressing his thoughts, he said in Hindi, "When the leadership had changed, I was given responsibility. You know the sequence of events. After Hemant Soren came back, we (the coalition) picked him as our leader and I have resigned. I am following the decision taken by the coalition."
When asked about his oath-taking, Hemant Soren, standing next to Champai Soren, stated that more details would be provided later.
Jharkhand is governed by a coalition consisting of the JMM, Congress, RJD, and CPI (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation.
Earlier on Wednesday, the JMM elected Hemant Soren as the legislature party leader, paving the way for his return as chief minister. This decision defied strong speculation that Champai Soren would retain the post and Hemant Soren would return as chief minister only after the Jharkhand Assembly elections later this year if the coalition won.
Sources told NDTV that Champai Soren, who is likely to be named the JMM's Executive President, was upset at being asked to resign as chief minister and felt insulted during the party meeting.
Leaders of the ruling coalition reached a consensus on Hemant Soren's return during a meeting at Champai Soren's residence. Attendees included Congress' Jharkhand in-charge Ghulam Ahmad Mir, state president Rajesh Thakur, and Hemant Soren's wife and MLA Kalpana Soren.
Sources indicated that the decision aimed to ensure the elections were contested with Hemant Soren as the party's face. The JMM holds 27 MLAs in the 81-member Assembly, while the Congress has 18, and the RJD and CPI (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation each have one.
The BJP, with 24 MLAs, criticized Hemant Soren and reiterated its accusations of dynastic politics against his family.
