Picture : ANI / X
JMM leader Hemant Soren was sworn in as the 14th chief minister of Jharkhand in a grand ceremony in the presence of top leaders of the INDIA bloc, including Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi of the Congress and Mamata Banerjee of the TMC.
Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar administered the oath of office and secrecy to the 49-year-old tribal who
reaffirmed his commitment to working for the welfare of all sections, particularly the poor, deprived, and exploited.
“This Jharkhand government will work day and night for all sections of people of Jharkhand including the poor, deprived and exploited… Abua (our) government,” Soren said shortly after taking oath.
In a post on X, he said, “Today’s historic occasion is dedicated to the struggle of the immortal brave martyrs, great revolutionaries of Jharkhand… Today’s emotional moment is dedicated to crores of people of Jharkhand.”
आज का यह ऐतिहासिक अवसर झारखण्ड के अमर वीर शहीदों, महान क्रांतिकारियों और आंदोलनकारियों के संघर्ष को समर्पित…
आज का यह भावपूर्ण पल झारखण्ड के करोड़ों लोगों को समर्पित…
अबुआ सरकार – हर झारखण्डी की सरकार
जय झारखण्ड!
जय जय झारखण्ड! pic.twitter.com/TobPQuazuj— Hemant Soren (@HemantSorenJMM) November 28, 2024
Before taking the oath, Soren, dressed in a white kurta, pyjama, and ‘Nehru jacket,’ sought blessings from JMM supremo and his father, Shibu Soren, his mother Rupi Soren, along with his wife Kalpana Soren and two sons.
After the ceremony, he paid floral tributes to tribal icons such as Birsa Munda and Sido-Kanho and rushed to Project Building where he began his fourth innings as CM.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated him.
“Congratulations to Shri Hemant Soren on taking oath as Jharkhand CM. Best wishes to him for his tenure ahead,” PM Modi posted on X.
A host of INDIA bloc leaders from across the country, including West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal and his wife Sunita, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, CPI(ML)L general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivkumar, Telangana Deputy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and Tamil Nadu Minister U Stalin also attended the event.
Later, Soren announced enhancing the financial assistance to women in the 18-50 age bracket under Maiyan Samman Yojna to Rs 2,500 from Rs 1,000 per month, which was one of the major poll planks of JMM.
Soren’s victory in the state elections marked a significant political milestone. His alliance secured 56 seats in the 81-member Jharkhand assembly, while the BJP-led NDA won 24 seats.
Soren himself retained his Barhait seat with a 39,791-vote margin. The victory marks the JMM’s highest-ever tally in the state legislature.
Hours before taking the oath, Soren took to X, asserting that unity is the greatest strength of the people of Jharkhand, who “can neither be divided nor silenced.”
In a veiled attack on the BJP-led central government, Soren emphasised that whenever attempts are made to silence the people, their revolution only grows louder.
“Let there be no doubt about it — our unity is our biggest weapon. We can neither be divided nor silenced. Whenever they push us back, we move forward. Whenever they try to silence us, our voice of rebellion and revolution grows louder because we are Jharkhandis, and Jharkhandis do not bow down,” Soren wrote on X in Hindi.
He said, “Our fight is firm and unceasing. The struggle continues and will continue till the last breath.”
