Shibu Soren sworn in as Jharkhand CM

JMM president Shibu Soren was on Wednesday sworn in as the sixth Chief Minister of Jharkhand after nearly three-and-half years of wait.

Governor Syed Sibtey Razi administered the oath of office to Soren and 11 of his cabinet colleagues at the historic Morabadi ground here.

The ministers who took oath were Stephen Marandi (Ind), Sudhir Mahto (JMM), Kamlesh Kumar Singh (NCP), Anosh Ekka (Ind), Hari Narayan Rai (Ind), Joba Majhi (Ind), Nalin Soren (JMM), Bandhu Tirkey (Ind), Aparna Sengupta (FB), Dulal Bhuiya (JMM), Bhanu Pratap Sahi (Ind).

Today's development ended the more than weeklong political drama that began with the withdrawal of support by the JMM to the Madhu Koda-led UPA government on August 17 that finally forced the chief minister to resign on August 23.

On August 25, Soren staked claim to form the government after submitting a list of 42-MLAs

before governor Syed Sibtey Razi and made it a point to meet all the Independent MLAs individually who had been standing united with Koda.

Significantly, the independents shifted allegiance to Soren in exchange of their 12-point demand.

During his first stint as chief minister that lasted only for nine days, Soren had to step as he failed to obtain majority on March 11, 2005.

According to JMM sources, Soren would go for floor test on September 1.