The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday arrested Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren in a money laundering case linked to a land scam, forcing him to resign from his post. Soren’s resignation came after seven hours of grilling by the federal financial probe agency. Contrary to speculations that Soren’s wife Kalpana Soren could be made the new chief minister, one of Hemant Soren’s cabinet ministers has now staked claim to become his successor.
Champai Soren, who served as the tranport minister in the cabinet headed by Hemant Soren, has been elected as the new chief minister. Jharkhand Mukti Morcha spokesperson Vinod Pandey said that Champai Soren had been elected the new leader of the JMM legislative party unanimously.
Meanwhile, according to news agency PTI, Jharkhand Congress president Rajesh Thakur said, “Hemant Soren has resigned as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand. The ruling JMM-Congress-RJD alliance has proposed the name of senior JMM leader Champai Soren as the new CM.”
Soren submitted his resignation to Governor CP Radhakrishnan at the Raj Bhavan.