Soren sworn in as Jharkhand CM

Governor K Sankaranarayanan administered the oath of office and secrecy to Soren at a function held at Morahabadi grounds here, ending almost a year-long spell of President’s rule in the state.

Soren took oath along with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and All Jharkhand Students’ Union (AJSU) presidents Raghubar Das and Sudesh Mahto respectively. The duo will serve as deputy chief ministers in the government.

The swearing-in ceremony was attended by many BJP, JMM and AJSU workers from different parts of the state. However, among the dignitaries who attended the ceremony included Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh and his Uttarakhand counterpart Ramesh Pokhriyanal Nisak.

Earlier, the swearing-in ceremony was fixed at 2 pm but it was advanced to 10:30 am reportedly on the advice of astrologers.

Governor Sankaranarayanan has asked Soren to prove his majority on or before January 8. The cabinet will be expanded after Soren seeks the trust vote.

Jharkhand came under the President’s rule on January 19 after no political party or a coalition of political parties staked claim to form an alternative government, in the wake of the then chief minister Shibu Soren’s resignation after his defeat in the Tamara bypolls.