Jharkhand was carved out of Bihar on November 15, 2000, coinciding with the birth anniversary of tribal leader Birsa Munda. It became India’s 28th state with Ranchi as its capital in. It has seen 7 chief ministers so far.
The demand for a separate state for tribal communities began in the early 20th century. Tribal leaders like Jaipal Singh Munda spearheaded the movement. The 1980s and 1990s saw intensified protests for Jharkhand’s statehood, which became a reality in 2000.
Jharkhand got its first Chief Minister in Babulal Marandi, who served from November 2000 to March 2003. He was from the BJP.
Arjun Munda has held the Chief Minister’s position three times. His tenure emphasised industrial development and addressing tribal issues. He was also from the BJP.
Known as Guruji, Shibu Soren is a prominent tribal leader and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) founder. His leadership reflected his commitment to tribal rights.
Madhu Koda, Jharkhand's only independent Chief Minister, served from 2006 to 2008. His term was marked by a focus on mining policies and infrastructure.
Raghubar Das from the BJP became Jharkhand’s first non-tribal Chief Minister, serving from December 2014 to December 2019.
Hemant Soren, a key figure of JMM, is the current Chief Minister of Jharkhand. He relinquished the charge in February 2024 for five months when he was arrested by Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case.
Champai Soren from the JMM briefly served as the 7th Chief Minister of Jharkhand from February 2, 2024, to July 3, 2024, following the arrest of then-CM Hemant Soren.