Editor's Pick | Champai Soren sworn in as 12th Jharkhand CM

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader Champai Soren took oath as the twelfth Chief Minister of Jharkhand on Friday, even as his predecessor Hemant Soren was remanded to five days in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLA Satyanand Bhokta and Congress MLA Alamgir Alam also took oath as Cabinet Ministers in a swearing-in ceremony that came two days after Mr. Hemant Soren’s resignation and arrest in an alleged land scam case. Soon after the ceremony, 39 MLAs of the ruling coalition, who have been staying in the Ranchi Circuit House, were rushed straight to the airport and flown to Hyderabad by a chartered plane in a bid to prevent them from being poached by the Opposition before the new government seeks a vote of confidence on February 5. The JMM-led alliance has submitted letters of support from 47 MLAs to the Raj Bhavan. Before boarding the chartered flight, several MLAs said that they were going to Hyderabad due to fear of harassment by the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation. The MLAs were met in Hyderabad by Telangana Congress leaders Deepadas Munshi and Ponnam Prabhakar and taken straight from the airport to the Leonia Resort in Shamirpet on the outskirts of the city. After taking his oath, Mr. Champai Soren said that he would continue the former CM’s work to strengthen tribal rights. “Under the leadership of Hemant Soren, the State developed a lot. He raised the voice of the tribals and tried his level best to resolve their problems. We will continue to complete the work that Hemant Soren was doing. We will work on every sector — be it health, education, agriculture, or law and order — keeping public interest in mind. I will try my level best to perform the duty which has been given to me,“ the new CM said. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court refused to entertain Mr. Hemant Soren’s plea against his arrest, and asked him to approach the High Court. “Why don’t you go to the High Court… Once we permit you to come directly here, we will have to permit everybody,” Justice Sanjiv Khanna told senior advocates. The former CM had resigned on Wednesday after ED officials held him for over seven hours of questioning for the second time, at his official residence. After his resignation, senior JMM leader and Transport Minister Champai Soren was elected as the leader of the legislative party. A five-time MLA from Saraikela, Mr. Champai Soren earned the nickname of ‘Jharkhand Tiger’ while playing an active role in the movement for Jharkhand’s Statehood in the 1990s, alongside JMM patriarch Shibu Soren. Before taking oath, the new CM went to meet the party chief — who is also Mr. Hemant Soren’s father — and sought his blessings. After his arrest, Mr. Hemant Soren termed the case against him as an assault on tribal communities he represents. In an editorial, The Hindu said that faced with allegations, politicians often seek cover behind their community identities, but it is undeniable that the long arm of the Indian law reaches the weaker sections of society more easily, and that the arrest of a Chief Minister of an Opposition party “cannot be viewed as a routine law enforcement event.” The Hindu’s Editorials Population priorities: On Interim Budget statement and the Census Two states: On the Palestine question and the U.K. The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz The Centre has halted the MGNREGS in which State, for the last two years? West Bengal Tamil Nadu Kerala Punjab To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 03 February 2024 [The Hindu logo] In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [[Arrow]Open in browser]( [[Mail icon]More newsletters]( Champai Soren sworn in as 12th Jharkhand CM Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader [Champai Soren took oath as the twelfth Chief Minister of Jharkhand]( on Friday, even as his predecessor Hemant Soren was remanded to five days in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLA Satyanand Bhokta and Congress MLA Alamgir Alam also took oath as Cabinet Ministers in a swearing-in ceremony that came two days after Mr. Hemant Soren’s resignation and arrest in an alleged land scam case. Soon after the ceremony, 39 MLAs of the ruling coalition, who have been staying in the Ranchi Circuit House, were rushed straight to the airport and flown to Hyderabad by a chartered plane in a bid to prevent them from being poached by the Opposition before the new government seeks a vote of confidence on February 5. The JMM-led alliance has submitted letters of support from 47 MLAs to the Raj Bhavan. Before boarding the chartered flight, several MLAs said that they were going to Hyderabad due to fear of harassment by the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation. The MLAs were met in Hyderabad by Telangana Congress leaders Deepadas Munshi and Ponnam Prabhakar and taken straight from the airport to the Leonia Resort in Shamirpet on the outskirts of the city. After taking his oath, Mr. Champai Soren said that he would continue the former CM’s work to strengthen tribal rights. “Under the leadership of Hemant Soren, the State developed a lot. He raised the voice of the tribals and tried his level best to resolve their problems. We will continue to complete the work that Hemant Soren was doing. We will work on every sector — be it health, education, agriculture, or law and order — keeping public interest in mind. I will try my level best to perform the duty which has been given to me,“ the new CM said. Meanwhile, the [Supreme Court refused to entertain Mr. Hemant Soren’s plea against his arrest]( and asked him to approach the High Court. “Why don’t you go to the High Court… Once we permit you to come directly here, we will have to permit everybody,” Justice Sanjiv Khanna told senior advocates. The former CM had resigned on Wednesday after ED officials held him for over seven hours of questioning for the second time, at his official residence. After his resignation, senior JMM leader and Transport Minister Champai Soren was elected as the leader of the legislative party. A five-time MLA from Saraikela, Mr. Champai Soren earned the nickname of ‘Jharkhand Tiger’ while playing an active role in the movement for Jharkhand’s Statehood in the 1990s, alongside JMM patriarch Shibu Soren. Before taking oath, the new CM went to meet the party chief — who is also Mr. Hemant Soren’s father — and sought his blessings. After his arrest, Mr. Hemant Soren termed the case against him as an assault on tribal communities he represents. In an [editorial]( The Hindu said that faced with allegations, politicians often seek cover behind their community identities, but it is undeniable that the long arm of the Indian law reaches the weaker sections of society more easily, and that the arrest of a Chief Minister of an Opposition party “cannot be viewed as a routine law enforcement event.” The Hindu’s Editorials [Arrow][Population priorities: On Interim Budget statement and the Census]( [Arrow][Two states: On the Palestine question and the U.K.Â]( The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz The Centre has halted the MGNREGS in which State, for the last two years? - West Bengal - Tamil Nadu - Kerala - Punjab To know the answer and to play the full quiz, [click here](. Today’s Best Reads [[L.K. Advani to be conferred the Bharat Ratna] L.K. 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