Bailed Indian opp leader to take CM post

A top Indian opposition leader is set to return as chief minister of Jharkhand state, days after he was released from prison on bail, a key party official said Wednesday.

Hemant Soren, 48, who was arrested and jailed in February on corruption charges, was granted bail on June 28 in the eastern state.

Before being taken into custody, Hemant had stepped down from his position, handing over the reins to party colleague Champai Soren. The two men are not related. On Wednesday evening, Champai, 61, in a widely expected move, tendered his resignation to the state’s governor.

“We had a change in leadership at that time, so I got the responsibility,” Champai told reporters. “Now that he is back, our alliance has chosen him as our leader, and I have resigned from my post.”

Hemant heads a party that is part of the opposition alliance that fought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the weeks-long election that concluded last month.