New Delhi: Jharkhand chief minister Champai Soren resigned on Wednesday evening to make way for JMM executive president Hemant Soren to return as the chief minister of Jharkhand for the third time following a consensus among legislators of the party-led alliance in the state. Speaking to reporters after his resignation, Champai Soren said: “A few days ago, I was made the chief minister and I got the responsibility of the state. After Hemant Soren was back, our alliance took this decision and we chose Hemant Soren as our leader. Now, I have resigned from the post of chief minster.”

Hemant Soren has already staked claim to forming the government. He is likely to take the oath of office on Thursday. The decision on the leadership change was made after INDIA alliance MLAs and leaders reached a consensus at a meeting held in Ranchi. Hemant Soren had resigned just before being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in an alleged case of money-laundering. He was released from jail on June 28 after nearly five months, after the high court granted him bail. Champai Soren met the state governor, Mr C.P. Radhakrishnan, on Wednesday evening to tender his resignation.

Leaders of the INDIA bloc, the ruling coalition, agreed on Hemant Soren’s return during a meeting at Champai Soren’s house. The attendees included AICC Jharkhand in-charge Ghulam Ahmad Mir, state president Rajesh Thakur and Hemant Soren’s wife and MLA Kalpana Soren.

Speculation about the change in leadership arose after all significant programmes of chief minister Champai Soren were cancelled on Wednesday. With elections in Jharkhand fast approaching, the JMM plans to contest with Hemant Soren as its main candidate. However, the decision to replace Champai Soren may provide the Opposition BJP with leverage in the coming elections, reinforcing their narrative of dynastic politics.

After the Lok Sabha elections, the strength of the JMM-led alliance in the state has reduced to 45 MLAs – JMM 27, Congress 17 and RJD one.

Two JMM MLAs, Nalin Soren and Joba Majhi, are now parliamentarians, while Jama legislator Sita Soren resigned to contest the general election on a BJP ticket. The JMM expelled two more legislators -- Bishunpur MLA Chamra Linda and Boriyo MLA Lobin Hembrom – from the party, but they are yet to resign from the Assembly.

Attacking this move, BJP Lok Sabha MP from Jharkhand Nishkant Dubey, in a post on X, said: “The Champai Soren era is over in Jharkhand. In the family-oriented party, people outside the family have no political future. I wish the chief minister drew inspiration from Bhagwan Birsa Munda and stood up against the corrupt Hemant Soren ji.”

Likewise, the BJP’s strength in the Assembly has gone down to 24, as two of its MLAs -- Dhulu Mahto (Baghmara) and Manish Jaiswal (Hazaribag) -- contested the Lok Sabha elections and are now MPs. The current strength of the Jharkhand Assembly is 76 MLAs.