Hemant Soren Biography: Early Life, Education, Family and Political Career

Hemant Soren is the current Chief Minister of Jharkhand & a member of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) party which his father Shibhu Soren had founded in 1973. Hemant Soren has served multiple terms as Chief Minister of Jharkhand, with his most recent term beginning in December 2019. Under his leadership party has won the recently conducted state elections in November 2024 and he is all set to continue his innings as CM unabated.

Name: Hemant Soren

Hemant Soren Mother's Name: Rupi Soren

Father's Name: Shibu Soren

Hemant Soren Education: Intermediate, Pata High School, Patna

Date of Birth / Age: August 10, 1975 (49 years)

Place of Birth: Nemara (Ramgarh) Jharkhand

Profession / Occupation: Politician

Hemant Soren Political Party: Jharkhand Mukti Morcha

Position: Chief Minister (Jharkhand)

Hemant Soren Wife Name: Kalpana Murmu Soren

Hemant Soren Sons: Nikil & Ansh ( sons)

Brother: Late Durga Soren, Basant Soren

Sister: Anjali Soren

Hemant Soren Early Life

Soren is son of Shibu Soren, a charismatic leader of Jharkand. He played an important role in the carving out of Jharkhand state from Bihar. Called as ‘ Guru ji’ by his followers, Shibu Soren has also been the CM of Jharkhand. This background gives an idea of the political legacy of Hemant Soren who followed the footsteps of his father Shibhu Soren and Late brother Durga Soren.

Rupi Soren ( His mother) wanted her son to become an engineer & therefore he got himself enrolled in BITS- Mesra but he later dropped out and took a plunge into student politics. This was a steppingstone in the political journey of Hemant. Death of his brother Durga proved to be a turning point in the life & career of Hemant Soren.

Durga Soren was MLA between 1995 to 2005 & passed away untimely in the year 2009. Perhaps then, he stepped into his shoes and started devoting full time into politics. Years later in an interview with a leading newspaper, Hemant himself said “ I became a serious politician only after the untimely death of my elder brother Durga in 2009 ”

Hemant Soren Political Career

He started his political journey through the upper house in Parliament of India and became Rajya Sabha Member in 2009. Though a RS member is elected for 6 years, he went to the state politics after the demise of his brother and contested assembly by election from Dumka , a seat from which his brother was MLA.

He won the seat and resigned as RS member. That was the time when BJP’s Arjun Munda formed the government with the support of JMM. Interestingly Arjun Munda was once a JMM leader and had quit the party to join the BJP. But in 2009, the politics of the state was such that he had to form the government with the support of JMM. Hemant Soren was made deputy CM of the state in Munda Government.

In 2013, he became state’s youngest CM with the support of Congress and Lalu Yadav’s RJD. But his first tenure as the CM was short-lived and in 2014 BJP bounced back to power.

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Hemant Soren became the voice of the opposition and was made Leader of the opposition.

Year 2016 probably is the year which proved to be a watershed moment in the political carrer of Hemant Soren. In that year, BJP government of Raghubar Das planned to introduce two amendments related to tenancy act. The itention of the BJP was opposed by tribals and there were protests against this move of the BJP government.

Hemant Soren was the voice of this protest & probably this episode had set the stage of his arrival as a tribal leader of the state , also ensuring his return to power. It is interesting to note that these bills which Soren and other tribals opposed were sent to Dropadi Murmu who was then Governor of Jharkhand & is now the President of India.

So in 2019, Soren led the alliance of JMM, Congress & RJD to return as the CM of the mineral rich state.

However, before he could complete his tenure smoothly like a piece of cake , he was embroiled in controversy and there were allegations of a money laundering case related to an alleged land scam.

In 2024, January month, he was arrested by ED & was sent to Jail. JMM selected Chmapi Soren to suceed him while his wife Kalpana Soren took the battle to ground on his behalf. After he was released on Bail , Soren became the CM again & the ‘ power couple’ together fought the narrative of Roti, beti, maati launched by the BJP.

Ther resilience, tenacity and ability to convey their party policies to the people paid off when JMM along with Congress & RJD has made a return to power and the alliance has won 56 out of 81 seats in the state.

Hemant Soren Controversy

Arrest by ED in 2024.

The year started on a bad note for Hemant Soren. He found himself in the eye of the storm when he arrested by ED in January this year under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act ( PMLA) on the basis of allegation that he had bought more than 8 acres of land in Ranchi. Soren had refuted the charges and termed it as political vendetta. This was the biggest challenge of his political life.

Since he was being incarcerated, Champai Soren, who was then a minister in Soren government and a trusted aide of several decades was asked to keep the seat warm. Soren made a grand comeback after he was released on bail a few months later

Violation of Election code of conduct- 2019.

During the 2019 Jharkhand Assembly elections, Hemant Soren was accused of violating the model code of conduct by allegedly distributing money and gifts to voters. While these were claims made by his opponents, no concrete evidence emerged from the investigation. In 2022, giving a big relief to him, Jharkhand HC quashed the case against him.

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Age discrepancy in affidavit

He was under the microscope related to the apparent discrepancies in his age as reported in his election affidavits. The issue came to light after a comparison between his 2019 and 2024 affidavits revealed an apparent inconsistency. In the affidavit submitted during the 2019 Jharkhand Assembly elections, Soren had stated that he was 42 years old, which would make him 47 now, however, in his latest affidavit, he had listed his age as 49. BJP picked up the apparent discrepancy and

Hemant Soren Net Worth

Soren has moveable & immovable assets worth Rs 2.83 crore. Among his possessions are an Italian chain and two diamond necklaces. In the affidavit filed during his nomination, he revealed that between 2006 and 2008, he purchased 23 properties for Rs 20,64,875. The current market value of these properties is approximately Rs 1.92 crore.

These properties are located in Govindpur (Dhanbad district), Bokaro and in Angada, Ranchi, with the land in Angada being taken on lease. Additionally, he has Rs 45,000 in cash and a rifle valued at Rs 55,000. In 2008, he purchased a car, which is now worth Rs 60,000. His wife, Kalpana Soren, has Rs 81,31,348.70 in her bank account, while their two sons have Rs 2,96,000 in their accounts.