| Jharkhand |
Abhishek Singh Samant
Guruji Becomes CM
Jharkhand witnessed heightened political activity in 2008. On August 17, the 23-month-old UPA coalition government in Jharkhand was reduced to a minority after the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha withdrew support in pursuit of its agenda to get Chief Minister Madhu Koda replaced by its supremo Shibu Soren triggering a fresh political crisis. It resulted in the elevation of Soren as the state’s Chief Minister.
Soren’s appointment was on the cards after he decided to support the UPA government on the Indo-US civil nuclear deal.
On August 27, JMM president Shibu Soren was sworn in as the sixth CM of the state.
Governor Syed Sibtey Razi administered the oath of office to Soren and 11 of his Cabinet colleagues at the historic Morabadi ground.
Soren staked claim to form the government after submitting a list of 42-MLAs before Razi and made it a point to meet all the Independent MLAs individually who had been standing united with Koda.
It may be noted that on December 22, 2006, Soren, fondly called ‘Guruji’ by his supporters, was convicted by a Delhi court in the murder of his secretary Shashi Nath Jha. However, on August 22, 2007, he was acquitted by the Delhi High Court on basis of lack of evidence.
Soren acquitted from massacre case
Nearly one and half years after he was absolved by a Delhi court in the murder of his private secretary, a Jharkhand court on March 6, 2008 acquitted JMM supremo Shibu Soren in a 33-year-old massacre case citing lack of evidence.
The case related to the massacre of 11 persons at Chirrudih village under Narayanpur police station on January 23, 1975. |
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