Opposition Unity On Show At Hemant Soren's Oath Ceremony In Jharkhand

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader Hemant Soren took oath as chief minister for a second time on Sunday at a grand ceremony. The ceremony was attended by a galaxy of opposition leaders and regional satraps, in a show of unity that could be a harbinger of a broad-based anti-BJP alliance amid the uproar over the new citizenship law. Governor Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office at Ranchi's Morabadi Ground to Soren while Congress leaders Alamgir Alam , Rameshwar Oraon and RJD legislator Satyanand Bhokta took oath as ministers.

Sankalp Diwas (Day of Resolution) as the event was dubbed, was attended by most opposition leaders.

Hemant Soren shared stage with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel,  CPM leader Sitaram Yechury, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, DMK's MK Stalin, his sister Kanimozhi and other opposition leaders.

Jharkhand: Rahul Gandhi, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel & DMK President MK Stalin at the oath-taking ceremony of Jharkhand CM designate Hemant Soren, in Ranchi. pic.twitter.com/PAebDpNypK

— ANI (@ANI) December 29, 2019

Jharkhand: RJD's Tejashwi Yadav, AAP's Sanjay Singh and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee at the oath-taking ceremony of Jharkhand CM designate Hemant Soren, in Ranchi. pic.twitter.com/QcWm8vPpRt

— ANI (@ANI) December 29, 2019

Jharkhand: Former Jharkhand CM Raghubar Das at the oath-taking ceremony of Jharkhand CM designate Hemant Soren, in Ranchi. pic.twitter.com/NjBY0wvKMN

— ANI (@ANI) December 29, 2019

They smiled broadly and shook hands at the bonhomie-filled event that heralded the advent of a JMM-Congress-RJD government, after the opposition coalition snatched yet another state from the BJP, barely months after its remarkable performance in the Lok Sabha elections.

"I attended the swearing in ceremony of CM Hemant Soren Ji & ministers from the Congress party in Ranchi today. I'm confident that the new Govt in Jharkhand will work for the benefit of all citizens & usher in an era of peace & prosperity in the state (sic)," Rahul Gandhi tweeted after the event.

I attended the swearing in ceremony of CM Hemant Soren Ji & ministers from the Congress party in Ranchi today. I'm confident that the new Govt in Jharkhand will work for the benefit of all citizens & usher in an era of peace & prosperity in the state. pic.twitter.com/nIg1svJ0uL

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) December 29, 2019

NCP chief Sharad Pawar, former President Pranab Mukherjee and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also tweeted congratulatory messages for Soren.

Congratulations & blessings to @HemantSorenJMM on being sworn in as the CM of #Jharkhand.Unable to attend the ceremony due to indifferent health,I extend my good wishes to you for a successful new term. May you uphold the faith shown by the people in you & the alliance you led.

— Pranab Mukherjee (@CitiznMukherjee) December 29, 2019

My best wishes to @HemantSorenJMM the new Chief Minister of Jharkhand. I am confident that the state will grow and progress under his dynamic leadership. I regret I might not be able to attend the swearing in ceremony due to my political engagements in Maharashtra.

— Sharad Pawar (@PawarSpeaks) December 29, 2019

Greetings to Shri. Hemant Soren (@HemantSorenJMM) on taking oath as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand. pic.twitter.com/9pJCT5flhW

— Pinarayi Vijayan (@vijayanpinarayi) December 29, 2019

In the just-conducted Assembly elections, the JMM-Congress-Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) alliance triumphed over the BJP, winning 47 seats in the 81-member House. Four other MLAs - three from the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) and one from the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) have also extended support to the three-party coalition.