"I will speed up work started by Hemant Soren": Jharkhand CM Champai Soren

RANCHI: The newly sworn-in Chief Minister of Jharkhand, Champai Soren, said on Friday that he will speed up the work started by former CM Hemant Soren to meet the aspirations of people.

Talking to the reporters after taking the oath, Champai Soren said, "Hemant Soren worked for the all-round development of the tribals. I will speed up the work started by him, and we will complete the work on time towards meeting the aspirations of people."

Alleging that the opposition attempted to create instability in the state," the Chief Minister said, "The opposition's attempt to create instability in the state has been failed by the strength of our alliance."

Meanwhile, Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan said that the new leaders are expected to serve the poorest among the poor and do everything to fulfil their basic needs.

"We always expect only one thing: the poorest among the poor should be served; we should do everything to fulfil their basic needs: good roads, good drinking water, good schools, good healthcare, and good houses. Finally, the irrigation facilities have to be improved all over the state so that the farmers get benefits and people get foodgrains at a commodity price," Radhakrishnan said.

He further said that education is improving in the state and that it has to be continued.

"Education is improving in the state, and it has to be continued. After the Jal Jeevan Yojana, potable drinking water is spreading widely," the governor added.

Amidst the political unrest in Jharkhand, Champai Soren, took oath as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand on Friday at the Raj Bhavan in Ranchi.

Alongside Soren, Congress' Alamgir Alam and RJD's Satyanand Bhokta also took the oath as a ministers in the Jharkhand cabinet.

After the swearing in, several legislators left for Hyderabad ahead of the floor test in the assembly. This is an effort by the alliance to protect its flock.

In the 81 member Jharkhand assembly Jharkhand Mukti Morcha has 29, its ally the Congress has 17 seats while the RJD and the CPI (ML) have 1 seat each. With the support of 43 MLAs the INDIA bloc has the numbers to sail through a floor test.

On the opposition bench, the Bharatiya Janata Party has 26 seats, AJSU has 3, while Independents and others have 3 MLAs. One seat in the assembly is vacant.

On Thursday, Jharkhand Governor CP Radhakrishnan invited Champai Soren to Raj Bhavan to form the government in the state. Champai Soren, a loyalist of JMM leader Hemant Soren, has been mandated to demonstrate his majority in a floor test, which will be held within the next 10 days.

Champai Soren, the state transport minister, is a seven-time MLA, and he represents the Seraikella constituency in Jharkhand. Before joining the JMM, he was an independent MLA.

Earlier on Wednesday evening, JMM Chief Soren met Governor Radhakrishnan at Raj Bhawan and handed over his resignation after over six hours of questioning by the ED in connection with a money laundering probe linked to the alleged land scam case.

Meanwhile, JMM leader and former chief minister of Jharkhand, Hemant Soren, has been sent to five-day custody of the Enforcement Directorate by the High Court in connection with an alleged land scam case.

Hemant Soren was arrested by the ED after several summons in the alleged land scam case and several hours of questioning on Wednesday night.

The probe pertains to huge amounts of proceeds of crime generated by forging official records by showing 'fake sellers' and purchasers in the guise of forged or bogus documents to acquire huge parcels of land having value in crores.