Hemant Soren was sworn in as the 14th Chief Minister of Jharkhand during a grand ceremony in Ranchi on Thursday. The swearing-in ceremony was attended by a host of distinguished political leaders, including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and several other key figures from opposition parties. Jharkhand Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar administered the oath of office.
Soren, the 49-year-old Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader, begins his fourth term as Chief Minister. He had a resounding victory in the recent assembly elections, retaining his Barhait seat with a significant margin of 39,791 votes against BJP’s Gamliyel Hembrom. Under his leadership, the JMM-led alliance secured 56 seats in the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly, leaving the BJP-led NDA with just 24 seats.
The ceremony was a significant political event for the state, with top leaders like NCP Chief Sharad Pawar, Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, and former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray, among others, in attendance. Political figures like Akhilesh Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav, and Mehbooba Mufti were also present to witness the occasion.
Security arrangements were tightened across Ranchi, with traffic regulations and the closure of schools in the city for the day. Posters and banners celebrating the occasion were displayed throughout Ranchi. The previous evening, Soren and senior officials visited Morabadi ground to review the final preparations for the ceremony.
While Soren took the oath alone for now, the expansion of his cabinet will take place after the vote of confidence in the state assembly. Jharkhand Congress in-charge Ghulam Ahmad Mir confirmed that the cabinet expansion would occur in due course.
Reflecting on the significance of the day, Soren expressed gratitude for the presence of prominent leaders from across the political spectrum. “It is heartening to have such esteemed leaders join us for this important occasion,” he said, emphasizing the unity and support from his allies.