Ranchi, 4 July

JMM leader Hemant Soren will take oath as Jharkhand chief minister on 7 July after Governor CP Radhakrishnan invited him to form government in the state, a party leader said on Thursday.

The development comes after Champai Soren resigned as chief minister on Wednesday and Hemant Soren, who is out on bail in a money laundering case, staked claim to form the government.

"The governor has invited Soren to form government in the state and sought a date and time for the swearing-in ceremony," a Raj Bhavan official said.

Asked about the date and time of the swearing-in ceremony, a JMM leader said, "Hemant Soren will take oath as the chief minister on 7 July."

Leaders of the JMM-led alliance in the state unanimously elected Hemant Soren as the legislature party leader.

A JMM-led alliance delegation met Governor Radhakrishnan at Raj Bhavan on Wednesday.

The delegation headed by Hemant Soren comprised Congress state unit president Rajesh Thakur, RJD minister Satyanand Bhokta and MLA Vinod Singh. Kalpana Soren, the Gandey MLA and wife of Hemant Soren, was also part of the delegation.