Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren holds meeting with allies in a show of strength

There was a lot of speculation about the legislature meeting in Ranchi on Wednesday as many within JMM and outside expected Hemant Soren to resign and his wife to be made the chief minister. However, nothing of that sort happened and the meeting turned out to be a show of strength for Soren.

The meeting took place at the CM's residence in Ranchi where MLAs from Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) - all part of the ruling alliance - came together. A total of 43 MLAs joined the meeting. Two MLAs from Congress and JMM each were absent due to personal reasons.

The speculation started after JMM MLA Sarfaraz Ahmed from Gandey resigned as MLA on Monday. Ahmed too was present during the meeting and every MLA greeted him with applause when he came to attend.


While the reason for his resignation is still unclear, JMM sources said it has been done to have a safe seat in case the political situation demands so. Soren has not appeared before ED even after the agency issued seventh summons to him in a land case. Ahmed could get a Rajya Sabha nomination later this year.

All MLAs reposed their trust in Soren's leadership. "We all said that Hemant Soren is our chief minister and he would continue as CM going forward," Congress MLA Pradeep Yadav told media persons after the meeting in Ranchi.

Soren is said to have told MLAs that they need to stay together. "It is this unity which will ensure the success for the alliance in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls," he said.

In September 2022, the then governor Ramesh Bais took a long time to decide on his case related to the office of profit. Soren held a special session of the assembly and proved majority in the House in an apparent show of strength.

Sources told ET that there was no discussion on seat-sharing among the INDIA partners. "That meeting will take place. It was not the subject of the legislative party meeting," said an MLA who attended the meeting.