Will take forward Hemant Soren’s welfare schemes, Champai Soren says after taking oath as Jharkhand CM

Ranchi, February 2

JMM legislature party leader Champai Soren, on Friday, took oath as the chief minister of Jharkhand, asserting that he would take forward the welfare schemes launched by his predecessor Hemant Soren.

He was administered the oath of office by Governor C P Radhakrishnan at the Raj Bhavan here.

Along with Champai Soren, senior Congress leader Alamgir Alam and RJD leader Satyanand Bhokta took oath as state ministers.

The oath-taking ceremony was held at the Durbar Hall and senior leaders of the JMM-led alliance were present on the occasion.

The 67-year-old tribal leader was sworn in as the 12th chief minister of the state. He became the sixth CM from Jharkhand’s Kolhan which comprises East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum and Seraikela-Kharsawan.

“We will take forward welfare schemes launched by Hemant Soren. I am committed to the development of Jharkhand,” the new chief minister said after taking oath.

JMM executive president Hemant Soren was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday night in a money laundering case linked to an alleged land fraud after he resigned as Jharkhand chief minister.

“We will continue the fight for Jal, Jungle, Jameen (water, forest, land) for all-round development of tribals and others,” he said.

Champai Soren was appointed to the chief minister’s post, on Thursday, after he urged the governor to accept his claim to form the government at the earliest as there was “confusion” in the state which was without a chief minister since the resignation of Hemant Soren, on Wednesday, deepening a political crisis.

“The opposition tried to create an atmosphere of instability in the state on the basis of false propaganda but the JMM-alliance’s unity thwarted all such attempts. The whole country saw how a tribal CM Hemant Babu was arrested under a conspiracy…. We will expose these….,” he said.

Champai Soren has been given 10 days to prove his government’s majority, said state Congress chief Rajesh Thakur whose party is a constituent of the JMM-led alliance.

“This fight has been going on for years. It has a long history, our ancestors have also struggled for water, forest and land,” he said.

Naming tribal icons such as Baba Tilka Manjhi, Sido-Kanho, Chand-Bhairav, Phulo-Jhano, Birsa Munda and Tana Bhagat, the chief minister said they never compromised with their self-respect in the fight for survival.

“Our effort will be to bring on the ground the ideals of all the martyrs and bring about a change in the standard of living of the tribals, indigenous people, Dalits and common citizens of the state… Our ancestors never compromised with these,” he said.

Soon after taking oath, Champai Soren paid homage to Birsa Muda and Sidho Kanho who laid their lives fighting against the British colonial forces.

Celebrations began at his native village Jilinggora in Seraikela-Kharsawan, where his relatives were seen dancing to the tunes of traditional musical instruments like Dhol and Nagara.