Ranchi, Champai Soren has met the Governor and resigned from the post of Chief Minister of Jharkhand. After the arrest of Hemant Soren, Champai Soren took oath as the CM on 2 February as the 12th Chief Minister of Jharkhand. With this, the way has been cleared for Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) working president Hemant Soren to become the Chief Minister of the state for the third time after the consensus among the MLAs of his party-led coalition. After taking oath again as Chief Minister, Hemant Soren will be the 13th Chief Minister of Jharkhand. Hemant Soren was released from jail on 28 June, about five months after his arrest, after the High Court granted him bail in the money laundering case related to the alleged land scam. Earlier, he had resigned from the post of Chief Minister just before his arrest on 31 January. Assembly elections are also to be held in Jharkhand in November-December this year. The leaders and MLAs of the alliance have unanimously decided to elect Hemant Soren as the leader of the JMM Legislative Party during a meeting at the residence of Chief Minister Champai Soren here. It is worth noting that Jharkhand became a separate state by separating from Bihar on 15 November 2000. After the Lok Sabha elections, the number of MLAs of the JMM-led alliance in the state has come down to 45, including 27 from JMM, one from RJD and 17 from Congress. There are currently 76 members in the 81-member assembly of Jharkhand.

Kolhan's Tiger Champai Soren has become a rat today: BJP

On the other hand, BJP leaders have reacted strongly to the decision to make Hemant Soren the CM of Jharkhand again in place of Champai Soren. Babulal Marandi, the head of Jharkhand BJP, said, "Shibu Soren's family uses any tribal outside their family only for political gains. After getting their work done, they pick up anyone like a fly in the milk and throw them out. The same has happened this time as well. By removing Champai Soren, the real nepotism of JMM has come to the fore once again." Marandi further said, "JMM's tribal leaders should understand that their role is only to carry the palanquin of Shibu Soren's family. Since Champai Soren is not from that family, he is being forced to resign. Champai Soren, who was called the tiger of Kolhan, has become a mouse today."