Hemant Soren resigns, Champai Soren to be next Jharkhand CM

Champai Soren was heading the transport ministry in the Hemant Soren-led government

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren tendered his resignation on January 31 after facing hours-long grilling by the Enforcement Directorate in money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam.

Following his resignation, Champai Soren is likely to be next Jharkhand CM. Champai Soren has support of over 41 MLAs. 41 is the majority mark in the 80-member legislative assembly.

“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.

Shortly after the change in leadership was confirmed, Hemant Soren was taken into custody by the ED.

This was preceded by the agency officials questioning him earlier in the day, for the second time within a fortnight, amid heavy security cover.

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Soren, 48, who is also the executive president of the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), had earlier been questioned in connection with the case on January 20.

The interrogation, however, remained incomplete on that day when he was grilled for more than seven hours, an official said.

Soren is being questioned as part of a probe into a ''huge racket of illegal change of ownership of land by the mafia'' in Jharkhand, ED officials have said.

Legislators of the ruling JMM-led coalition gathered at Soren’s residence to express their solidarity with the CM.