Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren staked his claim to form the next government after being unanimously elected as the legislative party leader by the INDIA bloc (JMM, Congress, RJD, and CPI-ML). With this, Hemant is all set to take the oath as the 14th Chief Minister of Jharkhand on November 28.
As preparations for the oath-taking ceremony begin, RJD has expressed its expectation for at least two cabinet berths in the new government. The party performed well in the recent assembly polls, winning four seats, three more than in 2019. Despite Hemant having the final say on cabinet appointments, RJD spokesperson Shakti Singh Yadav emphasized that they expect a fair share of positions.
Earlier in the day, Hemant, accompanied by INDIA bloc members and a few MLAs, submitted his resignation to Governor Santosh Gangwar at the Raj Bhavan in Ranchi. He also submitted a letter of support from 56 MLAs. The Governor accepted his resignation and asked him to continue as caretaker CM until the new government takes office.
“The new government will take the oath on November 28. We’ve already begun the preparations,” said Hemant. Before this, he met with INDIA bloc leaders at his residence in Ranchi.
Cabinet Formation Likely to Follow 2019 Model
Sources from JMM and Congress revealed that Hemant may follow his 2019 cabinet model, where one minister from each alliance party was sworn in alongside him. The full cabinet would be expanded later.
Oath-Taking Ceremony at Morabadi Ground
The oath-taking ceremony will be held at Morabadi Ground, an open-air venue. Key leaders from the INDIA bloc, including Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Arvind Kejriwal, Ajit Pawar, MK Stalin, Lalu Prasad, and Tejashwi Yadav, are expected to attend.
However, insiders indicate that forming the new cabinet could face some challenges, with Congress and RJD likely pushing for a larger share of the 12 available ministerial positions.