The year 2024 in Jharkhand felt like an exciting movie, full of surprises and big changes. It all started when Chief Minister Hemant Soren mysteriously disappeared from Delhi, which made people wonder where he was. On January 30, after a long 1,250 km road trip, he surprised everyone by showing up at his home in Ranchi. He had been called for questioning about a money-laundering case related to a land scam.
However, his troubles didn’t end there. The next day, January 31, he resigned as chief minister and was soon arrested at Raj Bhavan. This led the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) party to pick Champai Soren as the new leader. Champai, known as ‘Jharkhand’s Tiger’, took over as chief minister in February after the JMM maintained its positions.
During all this, Hemant’s wife, Kalpana Soren, stepped into the spotlight. She showed great strength by winning a by-election in June and later the assembly elections in November. Her political journey was not just about her strategy but also about understanding and connecting with the people.
After spending almost five months in jail, Hemant got bail in June when the Jharkhand High Court deemed that he wasn’t likely to commit the crime again. His supporters continued to stand by him, and he was re-elected as the leader of his party. By July, he became chief minister again for the third time, proving his strength in state politics.
While Hemant and Kalpana rose in power, some political figures faced disappointing defeats. Sita Soren, Hemant’s sister-in-law, moved to the BJP but lost badly in elections. Similarly, veteran Congress leader Geeta Kora also faced defeats after joining the BJP. These events highlighted the challenges in Jharkhand’s political scene.
In a surprising turn, Champai Soren left JMM and joined the BJP. Around the same time, Jharkhand experienced chaos with high-profile arrests, including a minister, and accusations of corruption. There were also violent incidents involving Naxals and increasing tensions between the government and security forces.
Despite these challenges, the JMM-led alliance managed to win again in November, securing 56 seats in the assembly while the BJP got only 24. The BJP had hoped to win with promises and campaigns against Hemant’s leadership, but the people still supported him.
Amid the excitement and struggles, 2024 also saw some good news. The state government worked hard to introduce programs for the welfare of the most vulnerable communities. Jharkhand’s athletes showed their skills and brought pride to the state on national and international platforms
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