Ranchi: Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MLA Ramdas Soren on Friday took oath as a minister in the Hemant Soren-led government. Ghatsila MLA Ramdas Soren has replaced former Chief Minister Champai Soren in the state cabinet.
Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar administered the oath of office and secrecy to Ramdas Soren at a function held at the Raj Bhavan here in presence of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, senior leaders of the JMM-led alliance and several government officials.
In a post on social media platform ‘X’, the chief minister congratulated Ramdas Soren and wished him luck for taking oath “as a minister in the Jharkhand government”. Soon after the swearing-in ceremony, Ramdas Soren, along with the chief minister and senior leaders of the JMM-led alliance, met JMM chief Shibu Soren at his residence.
Ramdas Soren won the assembly elections in 2009 and 2019 and is also the president of the East Singhbhum district unit of JMM. He played an active role in the Jharkhand movement along with JMM chief Shibu Soren and Champai Soren.
He was arrested several times during the Jharkhand movement and is considered one of the influential leaders of the Kolhan region. Champai Soren resigned from the post of minister and MLA on Wednesday after which Ramdas Soren was included in the state cabinet. Champai will join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) this afternoon.
Champai had claimed that the state government’s “current style of functioning and policies” forced him to leave the party he served for many years. Champai became the chief minister of Jharkhand on February 2 after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader Hemant Soren (48) shortly after he resigned as chief minister in January.
Champai resigned as chief minister on July 3 after Hemant Soren was released on bail and Soren took oath as chief minister on July 4. Champai resigned as a member of the state assembly and minister of Jharkhand on August 28. In a letter to party chief Shibu Soren, the senior tribal leader said that he was forced to step down due to being distressed by the current working style of the JMM.