Hemant Soren, Jharkhand's Youngest Chief Minister, Ready For Second Stint

Hemant Soren, 44, made a beeline for the house of his father Shibu Soren - chief of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha - on Monday as the party and its ally Congress established firm lead over the BJP during counting of votes for the assembly polls. The JMM-Congress won the election when the final results came out.

"The people of Jharkhand have given us mandate and I thank them for that... Today, a new chapter will begin for the state, and the chapter will prove to be a milestone... Today, the time has arrived to fulfill what Jharkhand was created for," Hemant Soren told reporters on Monday. 

"I am grateful to Lalu ji, Sonia Gandhi ji, Rahul Gandhi ji for their support... Today, the state's voters have given a clear mandate," he added.

Mr Soren, who was Jharkhand's fifth Chief Minister and currently the leader of the opposition, returned to the top post, having been the face of the alliance in the state. He would be succeeding the BJP's Raghubar Das, who was the first Chief Minister in the state to complete a five-year term.

Since its formation in 2000, Jharkhand had nine governments and three stints of President's Rule.

The son of Shibu Soren, one of the key figures in the statehood movement and a two-time Chief Minister, Hemant Soren made an early entry into politics. From 2009 to 2013, he was the deputy of Chief Minister Arjun Munda, when the party supported the BJP-led government. Central rule was declared in the state after the JMM withdrew support in January 2013.

In July, Hemant Soren took over as the Chief Minister, the country's youngest, at the age of 38 years.

But he held office for a little more than a year. In the assembly elections of 2014, the BJP came to power.

After stitching up an alliance with the Congress in March, Hemant Soren had contested the assembly polls from Dumka and Barhet, which he currently represents.

In his 17-month tenure, Hemant Soren is known for bringing progressive policies like 50 per cent reservation in government jobs for women, and played an instrumental part in tackling the Maoist insurgency in Saranda, West Singhbhum through a mix of development initiatives and security measures.

He has consistently advocated for the economic dividends of the mineral rich state reaching the tribal communities.