Three days after his party's victory in the assembly elections, five-time MLA and BJP national vice-president Raghubar Das was elected as Jharkhand's first non-tribal chief minister on Friday.
Das' name was proposed by Khunti legislator Neelkanth Singh Munda at a meeting of BJP's newly elected MLAs that was conducted to choose the leader of the legislative party. Jamshedpur West legislator Saryu Rai and Ranchi MLA CP Singh were among those who seconded the proposal, reports Hindustan Times.
The official announcement was made in the party's Ranchi office by BJP central observer JP Nadda. "I congratulate him (Das) and expect that the BJP alliance will now provide good governance in the state. He will fulfil the Prime Minister's mantra of Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas (with all, development for all)."
The BJP and its ally AJSU Party got 42 seats in the poll results which were announced on Tuesday, an absolute majority in the House of 81 elected members.
This is the first time a pre-poll coalition has reached the majority mark in Jharkhand which has witnessed nine governments and three stints of President's rule since its inception in 2000.
Providing good and corruption-free governance would be the government's first priority, said Das. "Our government will work for the upliftment of downtrodden and wholesome development of the state." he said, adding that the aspirations of the people would be met.
Das, who is likely to take oath by Sunday, will now meet the governor of Jharkhand well ahead of the expiry of the outgoing government's term on 3 January, 2015.
