The Hemant Soren-led government in Jharkhand will expand its cabinet on Thursday, with 11 new ministers taking the oath of office. The ceremony will take place at the Raj Bhavan, where Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar will administer the oaths.
The following ministers will take their oath:
The event is scheduled to begin around noon, with Protem Speaker Stephen Marandi, a senior Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MLA, taking his oath first. Marandi was appointed in the first cabinet meeting on November 28 and will manage the assembly’s activities until a permanent Speaker is elected.
Cabinet Composition and Alliance Dynamics
The cabinet appointments are a result of the power-sharing agreement within the ruling alliance. Congress leader Rajesh Thakur confirmed that the list has been finalized, and Chief Minister Soren will submit it to the Governor. Congress is expected to hold four cabinet positions, while the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) will have one. The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), which won 34 out of 81 assembly seats, will retain the remaining positions. The ruling alliance also includes Congress (16 seats), RJD (4 seats), and CPI (ML) (2 seats), totaling 56 seats, ensuring a comfortable majority.
Upcoming Assembly Session
In addition to the cabinet expansion, the government has announced a four-day assembly session from December 9 to 12, where key legislative matters are expected to be discussed.
The JMM-led alliance returned to power in November 2024, defeating the BJP-led NDA, which secured 24 seats. Although the BJP became the second-largest party with 21 seats, it was unable to form a government. Hemant Soren, sworn in as chief minister on November 28, begins his fourth term, focused on advancing development and governance under the alliance's agenda.
