The decision to return Hemant Soren was taken by the ruling alliance in Jharkhand.
Setting the ball rolling for Hemant Soren to take over as Jharkhand Chief Minister, his close aide Champai Soren has resigned from the post just five months after taking oath.
Champai Soren, seen as number three in the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, was sworn in on February 2, two days after the then chief minister Hemant Soren was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the land scam. He was released on bail on 28 June by the Jharkhand High Court which noted that there was reason to believe that he was “not guilty of the offence”.
After submitting his resignation to Jharkhand Governor CP Radhakrishnan on Wednesday evening, Champai Soren, who was earlier reported to be angry at being asked to step down, said in Hindi, “When the leadership changed. , I was entrusted with the responsibility. After Hemant Soren came back, we elected (the alliance) as our leader and I am following the alliance's decision.”
Asked when he would be sworn in, Hemant Soren, standing next to Champai Soren, said more details would be given later.
Jharkhand is ruled by a coalition comprising JMM, Congress, RJD and CPI (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation.
“humiliation”
Earlier on Wednesday, the JMM had elected Hemant Soren as the legislature party leader, paving the way for him to take over as chief minister. The move belied a very strong buzz that Champai Soren would remain in the post and Hemant Soren would return as chief minister only after the Jharkhand assembly elections, later this year, if the alliance wins.
Sources told NDTV that Champai Soren, who is likely to be named JMM executive president, was upset at being asked to resign as chief minister and had said in a party meeting that They feel insulted.
The ruling alliance leaders agreed on Hemant Soren's return during a meeting at Champai Soren's residence. Among the participants were Congress Jharkhand in-charge Ghulam Ahmad Mir, state president Rajesh Thakur and Hemant Soren's wife and MLA Kalpana Soren.
Sources said the decision was taken to ensure that Hemant Soren contests the election as the face of the party. In the 81-member assembly, JMM has 27 MLAs, Congress has 18 and RJD and CPI (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation each.
The BJP, which has 24 MLAs, targeted Hemant Soren and repeated its family politics allegation against his family.