Champai Soren Resigns As Jharkhand CM; Hemant Stakes Claim, Hands Over Support Letter To Guv

JMM leader Champai Soren has resigned as Jharkhand Chief Minister, paving way for his party colleague Hemant Soren to return as the CM of Jharkhand. Hemant has also met the Governor and staked claim to form the government in the state, handing over a support letter of alliance partners.

Ranchi:Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader Champai Soren met Governor C. P. Radhakrishnan on Wednesday and resigned as Jharkhand Chief Minister paving way for his party colleague Hemant Soren to return as CM of Jharkhand for the third time. Soon after, Hemant Soren staked claim to form the government in the state, handing over a support letter of alliance partners to the Governor.

Speaking to media after tendering his resignation to Governor, Champai Soren said: "A few days ago, I was made the Chief Minister and I got the responsibility of the state. After Hemant Soren was back, our alliance took this decision and we chose Hemant Soren as our leader. Now, I have resigned from the post of Chief Minister..."

Hemant Soren told the media all formalities to form the government are complete. "Everything will be disclosed soon," the JMM executive president said when asked about the swearing-in.

The development took place hours after a consensus among legislators of the party-led alliance in the state. Champai Soren had taken oath as the 12th chief minister of Jharkhand on February 2 after Hemant Soren's arrest.

Earlier in the day, leaders and MLAs of the alliance during a meeting at Champai Soren's residence here unanimously decided to elect Hemant Soren as the JMM legislature party leader.

Hemant Soren is set to be sworn in as the 13th chief minister of Jharkhand, which was carved out of Bihar on November 15, 2000. Congress's Jharkhand in-charge Ghulam Ahmad Mir and its state president Rajesh Thakur also attended the meeting, besides Hemant Soren's brother Basant and wife Kalpana.

Hemant Soren was released from jail on June 28 after nearly five months, after the high court granted him bail in a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam. He had resigned as the CM shortly before his arrest on January 31.

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