Jharkhand news: Hemant Soren today (January 31) resigned as Jharkhand Chief Minister while the ruling JMM-led coalition proposed the name of senior leader Champai Soren as the new state head. Champai has been a legislator from the Seraikella Assembly constituency for more than three decades since 1991 and is known to be a loyalist of JMM supremo Shibu Soren.
Who is Champai Soren?
- Champai Soren is a seven-time MLA and he represents the Seraikella constituency in Jharkhand
- He served as an Independent MLA before joining the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha
- Champai Soren is currently serving as the minister of transport in the Jharkhand government
- Champai Soren was an active part of the movement for separate statehood of Jharkhand
- He rose to prominence during the movement and came to be known as the 'Jharkhand Tiger'
Hemant Soren resignation:
Today, Hemant Soren tendered his resignation to Governor CP Radhakrishnan at the Raj Bhavan after about seven hours of questioning by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case linked to a land scam.
"Hemant Soren has resigned as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand. The ruling JMM-Congress-RJD alliance has proposed the name of senior JMM leader Champai Soren as the new CM," state Congress president Rajesh Thakur said.
Earlier, the legislators gathered at the CM residence elected Champai Soren as the leader of the JMM legislative party. Party spokesperson Vinod Pandey said a general consensus was reached on Champai Soren.
Earlier, there were speculations that Hemant Soren's wife Kalpana’s name could be proposed as the new CM.
Celebrations are underway at JMM Vice President Champai Soren's residence at Seraikela Kharsawan after the party chose him as the leader of the Legislative Party and the next Jharkhand CM.
ED questioning at Hemant Soren residence:
Earlier in the day, a team of ED officials arrived at the residence of Hemant Soren for questioning in the alleged land scam. There was heavy police deployment around the Chief Minister's residence in Ranchi. Section 144 was imposed within a radius of 100 metres outside the CM's residence, Raj Bhavan and the ED office, amid the anticipation of protests, rallies and processions by the workers of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) over the action of the central probe agency.
The JMM workers had earlier gathered at Morabadi ground against the ED's action and raised slogans. On Monday, officials from the ED had visited Soren's residence in Delhi to question him. The central agency seized two cars and Rs 36 lakh but did not find the JMM leader.
Later, Soren, in a letter to the Enforcement Directorate, said he would record his statement before the agency officials at 1 pm at his residence in Ranchi.
ALSO READ: Hemant Soren resigns as Jharkhand CM after ED questioning, likely to be arrested
ALSO READ: Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren taken into ED custody amid ongoing money laundering probe
