Ranchi: Champai Soren emerges as the chief minister of Jharkhand hours after Hemant Soren stepped down.
The Enforcement Directorate arrested Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Wednesday in connection with an alleged land scam.
Champai Soren, no relation to Hemant Soren family, became the top choice contrary to the reports that said Hemant Soren’s wife Kalpana Soren could be the next chief minister.
Champai Soren, Transport Minister in the Hemant Soren government, is a senior JMM leader who actively involved in Shibu Soren’s Jharkhand movement in the late 90s.
Kalpana Soren, nevertheless having backing from MLAs, faced objection from within the Soren family.
The 67-year-old was chosen after MLAs signed letters of support at a meeting held at Hemant Soren's official residence.
Since Hemant Soren's sister-in-law Sita Soren and brother Basant Soren are MLAs but not ministers, both could have made claim for the position, NDTV reported citing sources.
Nevertheless Hemant Soren met his father Shibu Soren on Wednesday morning, there was no consensus within the family in favour of Kalpana Soren.
Sources said that Sita Soren, who is a three-time MLA, considers herself as ‘the natural heir of Shibu’.