Ranchi: In a major political development, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Wednesday tendered his resignation to the Governor shortly after he was taken into custody by Enforcement Directorate officials following over seven hours of questioning at his Ranchi residence in a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam.
Members of the ruling coalition reached Raj Bhavan to stake claim for the new government to be headed by senior JMM leader Champai Soren. Champai Soren is currently the Transport Minister. "We have chosen Champai Soren as the leader of the Legislative Party. We came to the Raj Bhawan to request the Governor for the oath ceremony," Jharkhand Minister Banna Gupta said.
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (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..."
Congress MLA 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..." The fast-paced developments came as the ED, which was questioning Hemant Soren at his residence since the afternoon in a money laundering case probe linked to an alleged land scam, informed him that it was arresting him as it was not satisfied with his answers to their queries.
Meanwhile, Chief Secretary L. Khiangte, DGP Ajay Kumar Singh, and other top officials reached the CM's residence and security there was tightened. Indications of Heman Soren's likely arrest came to be known from around 5 p.m. and the ruling coalition intensified its discussions to select his successor.
Several MLAs were present at the CM's house since morning. A meeting on Tuesday evening of the JMM legislators, chaired by Hemant Soren, who returned to the state capital from New Delhi, had decided that in the event he was arrested, a new government should be formed under a new leader and an appointment was taken with the Governor on Wednesday night for this purpose.
Hemant Soren reached his Kanke Road residence at around 1:50 pm on Tuesday along with a security guard amid uncertainty about his location. The ED had been on the lookout for Soren in Delhi since Monday morning. They searched for him at several places including his Delhi residence and Jharkhand Bhawan, but he was not found.
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