Jharkhand Mukti Morcha Working President Hemant Soren was sworn in as the chief minister of Jharkhand on Sunday at a ceremony in Ranchi attended by several Opposition leaders. He was administered the oath of office by Governor Draupadi Murmu, ANI reported.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief MK Stalin, and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee attended the event, ANI reported. Also in attendance were Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav, Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh and Soren’s predecessor and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Raghubar Das.

Soren’s Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, in alliance with the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal, won 47 of the 81 seats in the Assembly, results for which were declared on December 23. The Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) later supported the alliance, taking its strength to 50. The BJP managed to win only 25 constituencies.

Congress Legislature Party Leader Alamgir Alam, party MLA Rameshwar Oraon and Rashtriya Janata Dal MLA Satyanand Bhogta took oath as ministers, PTI reported.

Suspected Maoists blow up community centre

Hours before the ceremony, suspected Maoists blew up a community centre in the state’s Khunti district, Hindustan Times reported quoting police officers. Most the centre in Selda village was damaged.

The attackers also pasted posters reading “remove police camp from schools” and “stop playing with the future of school students”, the police said. No casualty was reported.

“Prima facie, it seems the activity of Maoists,” said Khunti Deputy Superintendent of Police Ashish Mahli. “We are investigating it and talking to the villagers.”

Mahli said the poppy cultivation season had started in the area, and there was a discussion among villagers that the community centre would be used as a police camp to check illegal opium farming. “During the anti-opium drive last year, we had found left-wing extremist groups’ link in opium farming,” he added. “We had seized over two quintals of opium from across Khunti last year.”