Hemant Soren

Hemant Soren (born 10 August 1975) is an Indian politician currently officiating as the fifth Chief Minister of Jharkhand. As the president of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), he has led the state government during three distinct periods: from 2013 to 2014, 2019 to early 2024, and resuming in July 2024. Following a coalition victory in the 2024 Jharkhand Legislative Assembly elections, he retained his position as the state's premier. In the state assembly, Soren has been the elected representative for the Barhait constituency since 2014, having previously held the Dumka seat for two non-consecutive terms. Over the course of his political career, his major legislative and executive roles have included a brief tenure as a Member of the Rajya Sabha (2009–2010), Deputy Chief Minister of Jharkhand (2010–2013), and Leader of the Opposition (2014–2019). Soren's political trajectory faced a major disruption in early 2024. On 31 January, he stepped down from the chief ministership just hours before the Enforcement Directorate took him into custody over allegations of money laundering tied to a land dispute. Both Soren and his alliance partners condemned the arrest, describing it as a politically driven action orchestrated by the central government. In June 2024, the Jharkhand High Court granted him bail, enabling his release and subsequent return to the chief ministerial office, where he succeeded Champai Soren.