JMM legislator Ramdas Soren on Friday took oath as a minister in the Hemant Soren government in Jharkhand.

The Ghatshila MLA replaced former chief minister Champai Soren in the state cabinet.

Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar administered the oath of office and secrecy to Ramdas Soren at a function in Raj Bhavan here in the presence of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, senior leaders of the JMM-led alliance and several government officials.

Ramdas Soren was inducted into the state cabinet after Champai Soren had on Wednesday resigned as a minister and an MLA. He is scheduled to join the BJP this afternoon.

Champai Soren, who had taken oath as a minister in the Hemant Soren cabinet last month, also quit the JMM on August 28, claiming that the state government's “present style of functioning and policies” compelled him to leave the party he served for many years.

He became the chief minister of Jharkhand on February 2, shortly after Hemant Soren resigned as the CM before being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case.

Champai quit the post on July 3 and Hemant took oath as the CM again on July 4, after he was released on bail.

Ramdas Soren won the assembly elections in 2009 and 2019 and is also the JMM's East Singhbhum district president.

He was active in the Jharkhand movement along with JMM supremo Shibu Soren and Champai Soren.

He was arrested several times during the Jharkhand agitation and is considered one of the influential leaders from the Kolhan region.

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