Ranchi: Top leaders of the INDIA bloc, including Congress's Rahul Gandhi and RJD's Tejashwi Yadav, may attend the swearing-in ceremony of the Hemant Soren government here on November 28, a senior leader of the grand old party said on Monday.
In a stunning comeback, Hemant Soren's JMM-led alliance on Saturday stormed to power in Jharkhand for a second consecutive term, winning 56 seats in the 81-member assembly, despite an all-out blitz by the BJP-led NDA, which managed only 24 seats. Soren retained Barhait's seat by defeating BJP's Gamliyel Hembrom by a margin of 39,791 votes.
"All top leaders of the INDIA bloc are being invited to attend the swearing-in ceremony at Morabadi Ground here on November 28. Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav are likely to attend the event," the Congress leader told PTI.
As far as ministerial berths are concerned, in all likelihood, there may be four ministers from the grand old party as per the initial plans of one ministerial berth for every four seats won. JMM contested 43 seats and won 34, the highest-ever tally of the party in its history. The Congress got 16 seats, RJD four and the CPI (ML) secured two seats in the INDIA bloc. As per the arrangement, RJD may get one ministerial berth.
Meanwhile, preparations are underway for the oath-taking ceremony. Soren on Sunday met Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar and staked claim to form the government, soon after leaders of the INDIA bloc in the state unanimously elected him as the legislature party leader.
He resigned as the chief minister, before staking claim to form the government. He will officiate as the acting chief minister till the oath is administered to him on November 28. "I met the governor. We staked a claim to form the government and handed over support letters of alliance partners to him. He invited us to form the government. The swearing-in ceremony will be held on November 28," Soren had told reporters after meeting Gangwar.
Soren will be sworn in as the 14th chief minister of Jharkhand, which was carved out of Bihar on November 15, 2000. He will be sworn in as the chief minister for the fourth term. The majority mark in the state assembly is 41 seats.
