Soren invites Mamata to attend swearing-in

Kolkata: Hemant Soren on Sunday called Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and invited her to attend his swearing-in ceremony on November 28.

Sources said that Banerjee congratulated Soren over his victory and also expressed his inability to attend the programme as she may address an important session in the Bengal Assembly on that day. Banerjee is also scheduled to hold an important meeting relating to the Bengal Global Business Summit which is likely to happen in February next year. Banerjee maintains a good relation with Soren but she will be unable to attend the swearing-in ceremony in Ranchi because of her preoccupations. Sources also said that no representative of Banerjee will be attending the meeting. Hemant Soren’s JMM-led alliance won the Jharkhand polls on Saturday, securing 56 seats in the 81-member Assembly to retain power for the 2nd consecutive term. Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader Hemant Soren met Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar on Sunday to stake his claim to form the next government. Leaders of the INDIA bloc in the state unanimously elected him as the legislature party leader following their victory in the state Assembly elections. Soren is expected to take the oath of office on November 28. It was also learnt that before staking his claim, Soren resigned as the chief minister.

Hemant Soren retained the Barhait seat in the Jharkhand Assembly elections, defeating BJP candidate Gamliyel Hembrom by a margin of 39,791 votes. Soren secured 95,612 votes, while Hembrom received 55,821 votes.