Jharkhand CM Champai Soren resigned on Wednesday and Hemant Soren, who is out on bail in a money laundering case, staked claim to form the government, hours after leaders of the JMM-led alliance in the state unanimously elected him as the legislature party leader.

Champai Soren, who had taken oath as the 12th CM of Jharkhand on February 2 after Hemant’s arrest, met Governor CP Radhakrishnan at Raj Bhavan and tendered his resignation in the presence of the JMM executive president, capping a day-long drama full of speculations.