Hemant Soren likely to take oath on December 27: Sources

Congress president Sonia Gandhi, party leader Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi along with former prime minister Manmohan Singh, are likely to be invited for the oath-taking ceremony.

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New Delhi: Preparations are in full swing for the swearing-in ceremony of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) executive president Hemant Soren, who stormed to victory in the Jharkhand assembly election along with allies. According to sources, Hemant Soren is likely to take oath on December 27. This will be the second term of Soren as Chief Minister of the mineral-rich Jharkhand.

The source added that chief ministers of other states will also be invited to the oath-taking ceremony.

A meeting of the newly-elected legislators of the JMM has been called on Tuesday to elect their leader. Similar meetings of the alliance partners - the Congress and the RJD - are also set to take place on Tuesday. The JMM meeting will be held under the chairmanship of party President Shibu Soren. Hemant Soren is likely to be elected as its legislature party leader.

After the meeting, Hemant Soren will meet the Governor and stake claim to form the government in Jharkhand. 

Sources said that invitations are being sent to the non-BJP chief ministers. Congress president Sonia Gandhi, party leader Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi along with former prime minister Manmohan Singh, are likely to be invited. Soren will personally go to Delhi to extend the invitations, sources said.

Soren emerged as the winner from both the Dumka and Barhait constituencies. While he won by a margin of 13,188 votes from the Dumka seat, he won from the Barhait assembly constituency by a margin of 25,740 votes.

Earlier anticipating a thumping win, Soren had thanked the voters for the mandate given to the alliance and said that this win marks a milestone in the state's history. "The trends of the election results suggest that the voters of Jharkhand have given a clear mandate for which I am very thankful to the voters. I am thankful to the people of Jharkhand for the mandate. Today`s victory is full of happiness for many but for me, it is also the day to take a vow to fulfil the expectations of the public," said Soren.

JMM won from 30 seats, BJP on 25, Congress on 16, JVM (P) on 3, AJSU on 2 and RJD on 1. JD(U) and LJP failed to open their account in the state.