Jharkhand's Chief Minister-designate and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) Working President Hemant Soren will take oath as the 11th CM of the state today.
Soren's swearing-in ceremony is being touted as opposition's show of strength, with top leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamamta Banerjee and Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray expected to attend.
Earlier, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had also arrived for the swearing-in ceremony.
In order to script his political trajectory, Hemant had to come out of the shadows of his father, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) supremo Shibu Soren and that of his elder brother, Durga Soren, who was a legislator and potential heir to the Soren family's legacy before his death in 2009.
From 2009, when he was still being considered a political novice but was made the chief of JMM core committee, to 2014 when he was projected as the chief ministerial face, Hemant has had a calculated rise, experts suggest.
Read more about the CM designate here.
Hemant Soren to take oath as CM shortly.
Earlier on December 24, Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) president Babulal Marandi gave unconditional support to Soren in the formation of the new government.
The JVM-P has won three seats in the just concluded elections.
Hemant Sorenhad staked claim to form the government on December 24.Earlier that day, he was formally elected as the JMM legislature party leader.
Soren was accompanied by leaders of his party, the Congress and RJD -- which comprised the opposition alliance in the assembly polls -- when he called onthe governor at Raj Bhavan to stake claim.
In a gesture of goodwill, outgoing chief minister Raghubar Das has said that he would be attending the event.
Soren had invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the ceremony. Modi, however, expressed his inability to attend the event due to his busy schedule. He has assured Soren that he would visit Jharkhand later.
Among those who have confirmed attendance at the ceremony include Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, CPI (M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI General Secretary D Raja, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his Madhya Pradesh counterpart Kamal Nath, according to JMM general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya.
This will be the 44-year-old JMM leader's second stint as Jharkhand chief minister.
In the just-conducted Assembly elections, the JMM- Congress-Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) alliance triumphed over the BJP, winning 47 seats in the 81-member House.
Governor Droupadi Murmu will administer the oath of office and secrecy to Soren at Mohrabadi Ground in Ranchi at around 2 pm, amid a galaxy of politicians and dignitaries, some of whom would be sharing the dais.
Welcome to Moneycontrol'sLive blog of Jharkhand swearing-in ceremony, where JMMWorking President Hemant Soren will take oath as the 11thChief Minister of the state.
