Shibu Soren changes oath taking time on astrological advice

Forced to give up his chair twice after brief stints as Jharkhand chief minister, Shibu Soren today took oath at a "a very auspicious time" on astrological advice, so as to hold the reigns of Jharkhand for a full term.     

The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief Shibu Soren was to take oath as Jharkhand chief minister in the afternoon, but advanced it by three-and-half hours on the advice of astrologers, party sources said.

On December 26, after governor K Sankaranarayanan invited him to form the new government, Soren had informed that he would take the oath on December 30 at 2.00pm.

But, on December 28, Soren informed the Raj Bhavan that the oath-taking ceremony should be held at 10.30am.

Sources said Soren had twice earlier been the chief minister, but for very short periods. This time he wanted to rule longer and consulted astrologers, who told him that 10.36am was "a very auspicious time" to take the oath for prolonged rule.

Soren was chief minister for the first time from March 2 to March 11, 2005, and for the second time from August 27, 2008 to January 12, 2009.