JMM executive president Hemant Soren Thursday took oath as the 14th chief minister of Jharkhand.
Soren, 49, was administered the oath by Governor Santosh Gangwar at Morabadi Maidan in Ranchi.
He was sworn in as chief minister of the mineral-rich state for the fourth time. Earlier, he had stints of being elected the chief minister of the state in 2013, 2019, and on 4th July 2024.
Hemant took charge of the state in a grand swearing-in ceremony where INDIA bloc leaders lined up in a show of strength.
From Congress, party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, MPs Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and KC Venugopal were in attendance. Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar and Jharkhand Congress state-in-charge Ghulam Ahmed Mir were also present.
Soren’s wife and JMM leader Kalpana Soren, who emerged victorious in the Gandey Assembly constituency, defeating BJP candidate Muniya Devi,
was seated next to Rahul Gandhi.
From the AAP, its national convener Arvind Kejriwal, his wife Sunita Kejriwal, party MP Raghav Chadha and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann were
present on the occasion whereas Tamil Nadu Deputy CM and DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin also attended the oath ceremony.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and former deputy CM of Bihar & RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and Independent MP Pappu Yadav were among those who attended the event.
This is the first time in Jharkhand that an incumbent government, which has completed five years in office, has returned to power.
Ahead of the oath ceremony, Hemant Soren greeted people present at the venue in Ranchi.
Soren tendered his resignation as Jharkhand CM to Governor Santosh Gangwar on Sunday, November 24, and staked a claim to form government at the Raj Bhawan.
The JMM steered the INDIA bloc to victory with 56 seats in the 82-member Jharkhand Assembly (81 elected and one nominated) . The JMM won 34 seats, while its allies secured 22 seats. Among the allies, the Congress won 16 seats, the RJD won four, and the CPI-ML won two seats.
The BJP-led NDA won only 24 seats in Jharkhand. The BJP secured 21 seats, with its allies the AJSU party, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), and JD-U winning seat each. Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha won a seat with its chief, Jairam Kumar Mahato, emerging victorious in the Dumri constituency.
Earlier in the day, in a statement on ‘X’, Soren said, “Today will be a historic day – a day that will further strengthen our collective
struggle, the spirit of love and brotherhood and the commitment of us Jharkhandis towards justice.”
Soren paid tributes to Jharkhand’s legacy of resistance and struggle, honouring the contributions of historical figures like Bhagwan Birsa Munda, Bhagwan Sido-Kanhu, Amar Shaheed Telanga Kharia, Phulo-Jhano, Poto Ho, and Sheikh Bhikhari. He emphasised that his government would continue to carry forward this legacy.
“Today is not about political victory. Today is the day to reiterate our struggle for social justice, the daily battle to strengthen social unity. Today also tells us that the great people of Jharkhand are standing together amidst the increasing pressure on democracy. Today,
a voice is resonating in every village, every city – rights, equality, unity means the voice of ‘Jharkhandiyat’,” Soren wrote.
Earlier, Soren met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday and invited him to attend the event.