Jharkhand Cabinet Expanded: 11 MLAs Inducted as Ministers

Ranchi: The much-anticipated cabinet expansion in Jharkhand took place with 11 MLAs sworn in as ministers in the JMM-led grand alliance government. The swearing-in ceremony was held at the Raj Bhavan in Ranchi, where Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar administered the oath of office. This marks a significant step in formalizing Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s government, which until now had only Soren as the sole minister following his swearing-in on November 28.

The newly expanded cabinet includes six MLAs from the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), four from the Congress, and one from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). The JMM inductees are Yogendra Prasad, Sudivya Kumar, Ramdas Soren, Hafeezul Hasan, Deepak Birua, and Chamra Linda. The Congress MLAs Shilpi Neha Tirkey, Irfan Ansari, Deepika Pandey Singh, and Radha Krishna Kishore were also sworn in as ministers, alongside RJD MLA Sanjay Prasad Yadav.

Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who assumed office for the second consecutive term, now heads a cabinet that reflects the coalition’s strength in the 81-member Jharkhand Legislative Assembly. The JMM-led bloc secured a majority with 56 seats in the recent elections. Of these, the JMM won 34, Congress 16, RJD four, and CPI-ML two seats. In contrast, the BJP-led NDA managed only 24 seats, with BJP securing 21 and its allies, AJSU Party, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), and JD(U), each winning one seat.

JMM leader Manoj Pandey emphasized the government’s inclusive approach, stating, “The Hemant Soren-led cabinet will ensure representation from all sections of society. A balanced cabinet has been formed to address the needs of every community.” Pandey also clarified that the delay in finalizing the cabinet was due to Congress’s late submission of its ministerial nominees.

Stephen Marandi has been appointed as the Pro-tem Speaker of the Jharkhand Assembly, ensuring smooth legislative proceedings. The expanded cabinet underlines the coalition’s commitment to balanced governance and societal representation.

Council of Ministers:

• Radha Krishna Kishore (Congress)
• Deepak Birua (JMM)
• Chamra Linda (JMM)
• Sanjay Prasad Yadav (RJD)
• Ramdas Soren (JMM)
• Irfan Ansari (Congress)
• Deepika Pandey Singh (Congress)
• Hafeezul Hasan (JMM)
• Yogendra Prasad (JMM)
• Sudivya Kumar (JMM)
• Shilpi Neha Tirkey (Congress)