Ranchi: Hemant Soren of Jharkhand, Mukti Morra Jharkhand, will be formally inducted as the chief minister of the state, having emerged victorious in the decisive Jharkhand assembly election. But this will raise eyebrows in the political circles in so far as Soren is concerned, who will take oath all alone and he will form his cabinet, and other ministerial appointments will be after some days. This has led to IMD predictions on the internal relations of the INDIA Alliance and the formation of the Congress-RJD-CPI(ML)-JMM alliance in the state formed for this election.
This has of course invited questions on why Soren, who had earlier sworn in as CM in March 2019 along with three ministers—two from Congress—is now planning to procrastinate his cabinet formation.
Therefore, some key challenges that are attributed to the delay in cabinet formation are the following:
The coalition government, federally represented with four equal partners, is tasked with the complex task of carving out the Jharkhand alliance’s share of the 12 government posts. This time JMM declared its victory in 34 seats, claiming seven ministerial positions and insisting on their strength in assembly. While Congress has secured 16 seats, the party is very firm on its previous stand for four cabinet seats, and while CPI (ML) (Maaley) has demanded one seat, the RJD has also demanded one cabinet seat.
JMM insiders said the deadlock over the allocation could not be resolved on time for today’s oath-taking ceremony. Discussions over the cabinet position of CPI (ML) might come to an end by their meeting held on November 29, but RJD is still to formally decide the post of one minister.
Hemant Soren: The Unchallenged Leader of the INDIA Alliance in Jharkhand
During the election campaign, it was Hemant Soren who became the face of the party to lead the INDIA Alliance to power in Jharkhand. The election was therefore centered mainly on him, Soren campaigning in over 200 election meetings throughout the state with his wife, Kalpana Soren. Hippocasy, on the other hand, Congress and RJD leaders could barely organize ten rallies in the region pulled.
The mandate is well and truly in JMM’s favor now, and Hemant’s party is emerging more than ever with a focus more on its political power rather than serving coalition partners. The same can be seen in the Shapath Samaroh (Oath Ceremony) posters, in which Hemant Soren stands alone as the chief of the state.
The Changes in Power Relations from the Year 2019
Such comparison with 2019 also shows the shifts in the political climate. At that time, JMM secured 30 assembly seats and were 11 steps short of the majority mark. Parliamentary mandates used in forming government were also instrumental in the hands of JMM in garnering a stronger base of negotiation in discussions over the composition of the cabinet.
In 2024, therefore, JMM wins 34 seats, thus can form government on its own with the help of a bare minimum support of RJD and CPI (ML), let alone Congress. This new freedom has left Congress a weaker negotiator, and thus the Grand Old Party may not be nearly as pivotal in the balancing of the coalition as before.
The Position of Deputy CM: Another Point of Contention
But what has increased friction is Congress insisting on the Deputy Chief Minister seat for its candidate—a demand which Hemant Soren has flatly turned down. According to sources, if certain Congress members were administered oaths today, their representative may be considered the second most important position in the cabinet system. JMM is keen not to be part of this, which will in any case prolong the ministerial oath for allied parties.
However, what is reported to be pending from the Congress leadership is some positive report from Soren’s side of the storey, which however looks rather unlikely. JMM’s alleged strategy is to induct all ministers together rather than giving Congress any automatic superiority over other partners.
Looking Ahead: Acknowledging Soren for Great Leadership
As it stands now, today’s ceremony is largely a triumph of Hemant Soren. It is still centered on a man’s accomplishments as he gears up, in the following phase of his government, to take Jharkhand into the future. For JMM, this is not the mere beginning of its new term, but it is asserting political supremacy within the INDIA Alliance in the state over Congress, RJD, and CPI (ML).
The last major power the Soren’s primarily confronts in the initial days of the cabinet, however, is the finalization of the cabinet.