In the history of Jharkhand spanning almost two and a half decades, not a single Chief Minister, except Raghubar Das, has completed a five-year term.
After the arrest of ED in the land scam case, Hemant Soren also had to resign from the post after just four years.
His father and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha President Shibu Soren, who led the Jharkhand movement with great enthusiasm, also holds the record of serving as Chief Minister for the shortest number of days and losing the assembly by-election while holding the post of Chief Minister.
However, Shibu Soren became the Chief Minister of the state thrice but he could never complete his six-month tenure. Assembly elections were held for the first time in 2005 after the formation of Jharkhand.
No party or alliance got majority in the 81-member assembly. However, BJP became the largest party by winning 30 seats. At that time JDU was with BJP, which had got 6 seats. That means NDA had got a total of 36 seats.
Shibu Soren’s party JMM had then won only 17 seats. Its ally Congress had got 9 seats. In this way UPA got a total of 26 seats, which was 10 less than NDA.
Despite this, Governor Syed Sibte Razi had invited Shibu Soren to form the government. Shibu was then a minister in the UPA government at the Center and claimed the support of 42 MLAs.
Governor Razi had then rejected NDA’s claim to form the government. However, on March 2, 2005, Shibu Soren was given the post of Chief Minister but his government fell within 10 days. He failed to prove majority.
After this, NDA government was formed under the leadership of BJP. Arjun Munda became CM. He was also supported by three independent MLAs including Madhi Koda.
In September 2006, all three independent MLAs withdrew their support from the Munda government. Subsequently, on September 18, 2006, independent Madhu Koda became the Chief Minister in a dramatic development.
JMM, RJD, NCP and Forward Bloc were included in his government. Congress supported the Koda government from outside. He had to leave the chair after being implicated in the coal scam.
When Shibu Soren became the Chief Minister of the state for the second time on 28 August 2008, he was the MP from Dumka. To remain on the post of Chief Minister, he had a constitutional compulsion to become a member of the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly within six months i.e. by 28 February 2009.
Then a safe seat was being searched for him, from where he could easily register victory but ironically, no one was ready to give up his seat for the person who made hundreds of MLAs and dozens of MPs.
Senior journalist Anuj Kumar Sinha has written in his book ‘Jharkhand: Politics and Situation’, “When Guruji (Shibu Soren) needed a seat to contest the elections, no one was ready to vacate the seat. Even the son and daughter-in-law did not agree to give up their seats. Old friends also refused to do so and said that when the son and daughter-in-law did not vacate the seats, then why should we do so?
It is written in the book that at that time his own MLAs had bargained hard with him for posts in the Board and Corporation. Champai Soren was also JMM’s MLA from Seraikela at that time.
Well, Shibu Soren was made the UPA candidate in the by-election on the Tamar seat vacant due to the death of JDU MLA Ramesh Singh Munda but Jharkhand Party candidate Gopal Krishna Patar alias Raja Peter defeated him.
In this way, Shibu Soren had to step down for the second time without completing his six-month tenure. He had to resign from the post of Chief Minister on 18 January 2009. After this, President’s rule was imposed for the first time in Jharkhand.