Jharkhand: Did Kalpana Soren not become CM due to party rebellion?

Hemant Soren, the chief minister of Indian state of Jharkhand, resigned on Wednesday (January 31) after his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). After his arrest, his party Jharkhand Mukti Morcha chose Champai Soren to replace him as the chief minister of the eastern Indian state. There was media speculation that after Hemant Soren's arrest, his wife Kalpana Soren would assume the chief ministerial post. But instead, Champai Soren has been chosen as the leader for the CM's post.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament Nishikant Dubey made a claim that a rebellion brokeout in Soren's party Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) over the issue of chief ministership.

Dubey claimed that 18 out of 29 MLAs did not favour Soren's wife Kalpana. He claimed that these MLAs wanted Basant Soren to be the chief minister. Basant Soren is the brother of Hemant Soren and a sitting MLA from Dumka.

"18 MLAs of JMM want Basant Soren to be the chief minister," said Dubey as quoted by news agency ANI.

As per media reports, on January 30, Hemant Soren was able to take signatures from JMM MLAs on two blank papers, one to support Kalpana Soren while the other to support Champai Soren. This was reportedly a contingency plan in case Hemant Soren gets arrested, which indeed happened.

India Today has reported that Sita Soren, wife of Hemant Soren's older brother Durga Soren, was also keen to assume chief ministerial office. Durga Soren passed away in 2009. Sita Soren is the sitting MLA from Jama assembly seat.

Sita Soren has in past, been critical of Hemant Soren and considers herself as inheritor of JMM Supremo Shibu Soren's legacy as wife of his eldest son.

It has been reported that Sita Soren reacted negatively on the plan of making Kalpana Soren the next chief minister. To underline her objection, she reportedly even mentioned that her late husband had agitated for separate Jharkhand state.