Champai Soren to take oath as Jharkhand CM today, floor test in 10 days

Jharkhand governor CP Radhakrishnan invited Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader Champai Soren to form the next government.

Champai Soren of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha is set to take oath as the next chief minister of the state on Friday, February 2, after governor CP Radhakrishnan, in a late-night development, on Thursday invited the loyalist of JMM leader Hemant Soren to Raj Bhavan to form the government. Champai Soren has been mandated to demonstrate his majority in a floor test, which will be held within the next 10 days.

Raj Bhawan has invited the Leader of JMM legislative party, Champai Soren to form the government in Jharkhand (ANI)

The invitation comes hours after Champai Soren urged the governor to accept his claim to form the government at the earliest amid political uncertainties in the state since the resignation of Hemant Soren on Wednesday.

“We have invited him to take the oath. Now they will decide when to take the oath,” governor's principal secretary Nitin Madan Kulkarni told news agency PTI.

The governor called Champai and Congress leader Alamgir Alam handed over the letter to form the next government in Jharkhand.

Earlier in the day, Champai Soren, heading a delegation of JMM-led coalition, called on the governor over the government formation.

"There is no government for 18 hours. There is a situation of confusion. Being the constitutional head, we expect you will soon take steps for the formation of a popular government," read a letter handed over to the governor.

Champai Soren, who had gone with four other alliance legislators to meet Radhakrishnan, also said the governor had assured them that he would take a decision soon on their request for the government formation.

"We stand united. Our alliance is very strong. No one can break it," he asserted.

Meanwhile, the JMM also released a video in which 43 legislators were present to show the coalition strength in the 81-member Jharkhand assembly.

Earlier, the plan of JMM-led coalition MLAs to fly to Telangana from Ranchi amid a political crisis in Jharkhand was cancelled as the chartered planes hired for it could not take off due to poor visibility. Leaders of the coalition said shifting the legislators to Hyderabad was needed to prevent any poaching attempt by the Bharatiya Janata Party.

"We could not go because of poor visibility. We will fight against them (BJP)..." Jharkhand minister Banna Gupta was quoted as saying by ANI as he came out of the airport.

Champai Soren was on Wednesday elected as the leader of the legislature party of JMM, shortly after Hemant Soren quit as the chief minister before being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The ruling JMM-Congress-RJD alliance of Jharkhand has 47 MLAs in the 81-member house, where the majority mark is 41.

Hemant Soren resigned in the wake of the ED action arresting the latter in connection with an alleged money laundering case. He has been sent to judicial custody till February 2. The case against Hemant Soren is linked to a "huge racket of illegal change of ownership of land by the mafia" in Jharkhand.

The 48-year-old leader has also moved the Supreme Court challenging his arrest and the matter has been posted for hearing on Friday.

(With inputs from agencies)