NEW DELHI: The stage is set for JMM executive president Hemant Soren to return as Jharkhand chief minister ahead of assembly elections due in the state later this year. Champai Soren, an old party loyalist, who had taken over the reins of the state five months back after Hemant was arrested by ED in an alleged money laundering case, stepped down on Wednesday.In fact, there were indications of a change of guard in the state on Tuesday itself when all public programmes of Champai Soren had been cancelled.
The sudden, though expected, move comes after JMM’s allies – the Congress and the RJD – unanimously endorsed the return of Hemant Soren as the head of the ruling INDIA bloc. This despite the fact that the leadership change provides the BJP ammunition to paint the JMM as a family-oriented party. The BJP has slammed JMM for removing a senior tribal leader from the top post to pave way for the return of Hemant, who is the son of former Union minister Shibu Soren. Jharkhand BJP chief Babulal Marandi said the real face of JMM, which had talked about rising above nepotism and electing a new chief minister five months ago, has once again been exposed.
So, what was the hurry?
Hemant Soren was granted bail by high court on June 28 and in less than a week he has set the stage for his return as the chief minister. Why did Hemant move fast to reclaim the top post?
The ED case against Hemant Soren is still on and the probe agency has indicated that it will challenge the high court order granting relief to the JMM leader. News agency PTI, quoting sources, has reported that ED will file a SLP (Special Leave Petition) in the Supreme Court against the June 28 order passed by the single bench of Justice Rongon Mukhopadhyay of Jharkhand high court. The high court order not only granted him bail but also said “there was reason to believ” that Soren was not guilty of the offence as alleged by the ED and there was no likelihood of the petitioner committing a similar offence.” Clearly, Soren wants to make a move before the probe agency plays the spoilsport.
While Champai Soren has been an old party loyalist, the truth remains that he was perhaps not the first choice as Hemant’s replacement. For the party that has never given the top post to anyone outside the family, appointing Champai was a compulsion at that point in time. Hemant’s wife Kalpana, whose name then emerged as a strong contender for the top job, was not an MLA and did not have any political experience. Moreover, Shibu Soren, who had to decide on the replacement, also faced the dilemma of ignoring the political claims of his senior bahu Sita Soren, who has since left the party and is now with the BJP.
However, things have changed in the last five months. Kalpana has established herself as a leader – leading the JMM Lok Sabha campaign effectively in the absence of Hemant Soren and improving the party’s tally in the Lower House. If Hemant has to step down again, Kalpana would now be the natural choice for replacement. However, for that to happen, Hemant has to be in the saddle first.
In fact, Kalpana’s takeover may not be needed at all. In case of any such eventuality, Hemant Soren can follow into the footsteps of Delhi chief minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal who has set the precedent of continuing as chief minister despite being in jail.
Jharkhand goes to elections in four to five months and Hemant Soren would want to be the face of INDIA bloc in the state polls after missing out on most part of the Lok Sabha campaign following his arrest on January 31.
In his first public rally after release from jail, Hemant Soren claimed that the BJP is planning to advance assembly elections in Jharkhand.
Why Jharkhand assembly elections are important for INDIA bloc?
JMM would be upbeat with the results of Lok Sabha elections. The party won three seats – Rajmahal, Dumka and Singhbhum, which is a gain of two seats from the 2019 elections. The party would hope to build on this success to make further gains in the assembly elections and consolidate the INDIA bloc against the BJP-led NDA.
Unlike Maharashtra and Haryana, the two other NDA-ruled states which go to polls later this year, in Jharkhand the INDIA bloc has to defend its government. Clearly, the JMM-led ruling combine will have to fight anti-incumbency to retain power in Jharkhand.
Five years back, the JMM despite performing poorly in Lok Sabha elections, did well in the assembly elections by unseating the BJP government of Raghubar Das.
JMM ahead in number games
Hemant Soren has staked claim to form the next government and would be waiting for governor’s invite to become chief minister of the state for the third time. The JMM-led alliance enjoys majority in the state assembly despite its numbers reducing to 45 MLAs – JMM-27, Congress-17 and RJD-1 after the Lok Sabha elections.
Two JMM MLAs, Nalin Soren and Joba Majhi, are now parliamentarians, while Jama legislator Sita Soren resigned to contest the general elections on a BJP ticket. The JMM expelled two more legislators – Bishunpur MLA Chamra Linda and Boriyo MLA Lobin Hembrom – from the party.
Likewise, the BJP’s strength in the assembly has reduced to 24, as two of its MLAs – Dhulu Mahto (Baghmara) and Manish Jaiswal (Hazaribag) – are now MPs. The saffron party has expelled Mandu MLA Jaiprakash Bhai Patel after he joined the Congress to contest the polls.
The current strength of the 81-member Jharkhand assembly is 76.
(With inputs from agencies)
The sudden, though expected, move comes after JMM’s allies – the Congress and the RJD – unanimously endorsed the return of Hemant Soren as the head of the ruling INDIA bloc. This despite the fact that the leadership change provides the BJP ammunition to paint the JMM as a family-oriented party. The BJP has slammed JMM for removing a senior tribal leader from the top post to pave way for the return of Hemant, who is the son of former Union minister Shibu Soren. Jharkhand BJP chief Babulal Marandi said the real face of JMM, which had talked about rising above nepotism and electing a new chief minister five months ago, has once again been exposed.
So, what was the hurry?
Hemant Soren was granted bail by high court on June 28 and in less than a week he has set the stage for his return as the chief minister. Why did Hemant move fast to reclaim the top post?
The ED case against Hemant Soren is still on and the probe agency has indicated that it will challenge the high court order granting relief to the JMM leader. News agency PTI, quoting sources, has reported that ED will file a SLP (Special Leave Petition) in the Supreme Court against the June 28 order passed by the single bench of Justice Rongon Mukhopadhyay of Jharkhand high court. The high court order not only granted him bail but also said “there was reason to believ” that Soren was not guilty of the offence as alleged by the ED and there was no likelihood of the petitioner committing a similar offence.” Clearly, Soren wants to make a move before the probe agency plays the spoilsport.
While Champai Soren has been an old party loyalist, the truth remains that he was perhaps not the first choice as Hemant’s replacement. For the party that has never given the top post to anyone outside the family, appointing Champai was a compulsion at that point in time. Hemant’s wife Kalpana, whose name then emerged as a strong contender for the top job, was not an MLA and did not have any political experience. Moreover, Shibu Soren, who had to decide on the replacement, also faced the dilemma of ignoring the political claims of his senior bahu Sita Soren, who has since left the party and is now with the BJP.
However, things have changed in the last five months. Kalpana has established herself as a leader – leading the JMM Lok Sabha campaign effectively in the absence of Hemant Soren and improving the party’s tally in the Lower House. If Hemant has to step down again, Kalpana would now be the natural choice for replacement. However, for that to happen, Hemant has to be in the saddle first.
In fact, Kalpana’s takeover may not be needed at all. In case of any such eventuality, Hemant Soren can follow into the footsteps of Delhi chief minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal who has set the precedent of continuing as chief minister despite being in jail.
Jharkhand goes to elections in four to five months and Hemant Soren would want to be the face of INDIA bloc in the state polls after missing out on most part of the Lok Sabha campaign following his arrest on January 31.
In his first public rally after release from jail, Hemant Soren claimed that the BJP is planning to advance assembly elections in Jharkhand.
Why Jharkhand assembly elections are important for INDIA bloc?
JMM would be upbeat with the results of Lok Sabha elections. The party won three seats – Rajmahal, Dumka and Singhbhum, which is a gain of two seats from the 2019 elections. The party would hope to build on this success to make further gains in the assembly elections and consolidate the INDIA bloc against the BJP-led NDA.
Unlike Maharashtra and Haryana, the two other NDA-ruled states which go to polls later this year, in Jharkhand the INDIA bloc has to defend its government. Clearly, the JMM-led ruling combine will have to fight anti-incumbency to retain power in Jharkhand.
Five years back, the JMM despite performing poorly in Lok Sabha elections, did well in the assembly elections by unseating the BJP government of Raghubar Das.
JMM ahead in number games
Hemant Soren has staked claim to form the next government and would be waiting for governor’s invite to become chief minister of the state for the third time. The JMM-led alliance enjoys majority in the state assembly despite its numbers reducing to 45 MLAs – JMM-27, Congress-17 and RJD-1 after the Lok Sabha elections.
Two JMM MLAs, Nalin Soren and Joba Majhi, are now parliamentarians, while Jama legislator Sita Soren resigned to contest the general elections on a BJP ticket. The JMM expelled two more legislators – Bishunpur MLA Chamra Linda and Boriyo MLA Lobin Hembrom – from the party.
Likewise, the BJP’s strength in the assembly has reduced to 24, as two of its MLAs – Dhulu Mahto (Baghmara) and Manish Jaiswal (Hazaribag) – are now MPs. The saffron party has expelled Mandu MLA Jaiprakash Bhai Patel after he joined the Congress to contest the polls.
The current strength of the 81-member Jharkhand assembly is 76.
(With inputs from agencies)
