Ranchi, Nov 26 (IANS) Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) spokesperson, Manoj Kumar Pandey, on Tuesday hinted at a blend of old and new faces in the Cabinet as JMM chief Hemant Soren prepares to take oath as Chief Minister for a historic fourth term on November 28.
According to sources, the Soren-led government will induct at least five new faces into the Cabinet.
The JMM-led alliance, comprising the Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and Communist Party of India-Marxist-Leninist (CPI-ML), secured a second-consecutive term, winning 56 of the 81 seats in the Assembly.
Pandey described the upcoming ceremony as a “historic celebration of a historic victory.”
While he refrained from disclosing the exact composition of the Hemant Soren Cabinet, he assured it would reflect “a mix of experience, youthful energy, loyalty, and social representation. “
“It is too early to name the ministers, but the Cabinet will be balanced and inclusive, combining the old guard with fresh talent,” Pandey said.
The Congress and RJD, key allies in the coalition, are expected to finalise their nominations through their respective high commands. Meanwhile, the CPI-ML has yet to decide whether it will join the Cabinet, which, if confirmed, would mark the first time a Left party holds a ministerial position in Jharkhand.
Reacting to this, Pandey said, “A consensus formula will be worked out. Our leader, Hemant Soren, has a remarkable ability to take everyone along. No one will have cause for complaint.”
The Cabinet, which can have a maximum of 12 ministers, including the Chief Minister, is likely to comprise six MLAs from the JMM, three or four from the Congress, one or two from the RJD, and one from the CPI-ML if it joins.
The JMM spokesperson revealed that several prominent political leaders would be invited to the oath-taking ceremony.
“Formal invitations will be extended to the leaders of the alliance, including Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Lalu Prasad Yadav, Dipankar Bhattacharya, Tejashwi Yadav. Additionally, personal invitations will also be extended to Arvind Kejriwal and Mamata Banerjee, among others,” he said.
“I believe a personal invitation will also be extended to the Prime Minister. If he attends, it would be a good occasion,” Pandey added.
On Monday, Hemant Soren held consultations with alliance leaders and close aides at his residence to finalise ministerial allocations. The alliance comprises 34 MLAs from the JMM, 14 from the Congress, four from the RJD, and two from the CPI-ML.
–IANS
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