The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led alliance, with Hemant Soren as the chief minister, won the trust vote in the Jharkhand Assembly on Friday.

Forty-five MLAs of the ruling coalition voted in favor of the motion in the 81-member House, with zero votes against it as the Opposition walked out.

After spending nearly five months in jail in a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam, Hemant Soren was granted bail by the Jharkhand High Court on June 28 and was released from Birsa Munda Jail the same day.

Soren had resigned as chief minister before being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on January 31. Following his arrest, Champai Soren was sworn in as the CM. Champai resigned from the post on Wednesday, paving the way for Hemant Soren to reassume the role.

In a video message, Hemant Soren accused the BJP of leveling false allegations against him. “In the 2019 Jharkhand Assembly Elections, the people of Jharkhand gave our party a mandate, but the conspirators were unable to digest how an Adivasi youngster can sit in such a high position. On January 31, they (the BJP) made false allegations against me and removed me from the post of Chief Minister,” Soren said. “Because of the people’s blessings, I’m out here sitting in front of you. We will always be the voice of the people.”

Hemant Soren’s return as CM is seen as a boost for the JMM, which won three seats in the tribal-dominated state of Jharkhand in the Lok Sabha elections last month.

In 2019, JMM fought the assembly elections in alliance with the Congress and Lalu Prasad’s Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD), winning a majority with 47 seats in the 81-member House.

(With ANI input)