Jharkhand news: In a crucial political development in Jharkhand, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MLAs elected state minister Champai Soren as the leader of the legislative party, paving the way for him to be the next Chief Minister of the state.
The development came as Hemant Soren went to the Governor to tender his resignation as Chief Minister. He has been facing questioning from the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam. A JMM leader said that Hemant Soren is in ED custody.
JMM MP Mahua Maji said, "The CM is in ED custody. The CM has gone to the Governor with the ED team to submit his resignation. Champai Soren will be the new Chief Minister. We have enough numbers."
Jharkhand Congress president Rajesh Thakur said, "CM Hemant Soren has decided to resign. Champai Soren has been chosen as the new leader of the Legislative party... All the MLAs are with us."
Jharkhand Minister Alamgir Alam added, "We have proposed to form the government under the leadership of Champai Soren. We have 47 MLAs and we should be allowed to form the government. The Governor said that he will check our papers and call us."
Know more about the new CM:
Champai Soren, who played a crucial role in the movement for the creation of a separate state of Jharkhand, was chosen after incumbent Hemant Soren stepped down amid speculations of his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate.
Soren has been a legislator from Serikela assembly constituency for more than three decades since 1991 and is known to be a loyalist of JMM supremo Shibu Soren.
Born in November 1956 at Jilinggora village in Jharkhand's Seraikela-Kharsawan district, Soren is a matriculate and father of seven children. He is the son of a farmer and is not related to the Hemant Soren family.
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