Jharkhand transport minister Champai Soren on Wednesday was chosen as the next chief minister, this after Hemant Soren stepped down before being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a land scam money laundering probe.
“We have chosen Champai Soren as the leader of the Legislative Party. We came to the Raj Bhawan to request the Governor for the oath ceremony,” Jharkhand minister Banna Gupta told reporters outside the Raj Bhavan.
Congress MLA Rajesh Thakur said,"CM Hemant Soren has decided to resign. Champai Soren has been chosen as the new leader of the Legislative party... All the MLAs are with us".
"The CM is in ED custody. The CM has gone to the Governor with the ED team to submit his resignation... Champai Soren will be the new Chief Minister... We have enough numbers..." JMM MP Mahua Maji told ANI.
Hemant Soren ED arrest LIVE coverage
Champai Soren, who participated in the movement for the separate state of Jharkhand, was chosen after incumbent Hemant Soren stepped down before his arrest by ED.
Soren files FIR against ED officials
High drama ensued in state capital Ranchi after Soren's questioning began by ED official in the afternoon. Security was tightened and Section 144 imposed around the now former CM's residence. The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha workers staged protest against the central agency.
"The chief minister has repeatedly been harassed even though he is cooperating. He replied to ED questions on January 20. But, he was again summoned within a week. Isn’t it a deliberate attempt to defame his image and the government?" a JMM supporter said.
Soren also lodged an FIR against ED personnel over searches conducted by the agency at his Delhi residence on Monday, officials said.
High drama ensued in state capital Ranchi after Soren's questioning began by ED official in the afternoon. Security was tightened and Section 144 imposed around the now former CM's residence. The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha workers staged protest against the central agency.
"The chief minister has repeatedly been harassed even though he is cooperating. He replied to ED questions on January 20. But, he was again summoned within a week. Isn’t it a deliberate attempt to defame his image and the government?" a JMM supporter said.
Soren also lodged an FIR against ED personnel over searches conducted by the agency at his Delhi residence on Monday, officials said.
Soren alleged that the ED conducted the search to "harass and malign him and his entire community", the officials said, quoting the FIR.
"An FIR has been lodged against some senior ED officials... we got the application from the chief minister," Ranchi Senior Superintendent of Police Chandan Kumar Sinha told PTI.
"My family members and I have suffered and experienced immense mental, psychological and emotional harm because of the acts committed...," Soren said in the FIR.
(With PTI, ANI inputs)