Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], December 5 (HBTV): A total of 11 MLAs were sworn in as ministers in the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-led (JMM) Mahagathbandhan government in Jharkhand, marking the long-awaited cabinet expansion. Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar administered the oath during a ceremony at Raj Bhavan in Ranchi.

Since his swearing-in on November 28, Chief Minister Hemant Soren had been the sole minister in the state cabinet. The expansion formalized the inclusion of other ministers.

Among those sworn in, six belonged to the JMM, four were from Congress, and one ministerial position was given to the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).

The JMM ministers inducted were Yogendra Prasad, Sudivya Kumar, Ramdas Soren, Hafizul Hasan, Deepak Birua, and Chamra Linda. Congress MLAs Shilpi Neha Tirkey, Irfan Ansari, Dipika Pandey Singh, and Radha Krishana Kishore also joined the cabinet. RJD MLA Sanjay Prasad Yadav was the sole representative of his party in the expanded cabinet.

Hemant Soren, who assumed office on November 28 for a second consecutive term, leads a coalition government that emerged victorious in the Jharkhand assembly elections. The JMM-led INDIA bloc secured 56 seats in the 81-member assembly, with JMM winning 34 seats and its allies securing 22 seats—16 by Congress, four by RJD, and two by CPI-ML.

The BJP-led NDA won 24 seats in total, with BJP securing 21 and its allies, including AJSU Party, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), and JD(U), winning one seat each.

Speaking earlier, JMM leader Manoj Pandey emphasized inclusivity in the cabinet composition. 'The Jharkhand government led by Hemant Soren will have representation of leaders from all sections of society. A balanced cabinet will be formed. We believe in taking along all sections of society,' he stated.   

(ANI)