Ranchi, India, April 19: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Friday departed for a nine-day official tour to Sweden and Spain aimed at attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) in key sectors such as steel, energy, advanced manufacturing, and infrastructure. The visit, scheduled from April 19 to 27, will feature business forums and meetings with potential investors in Barcelona, Madrid, and Gothenburg.
However, the composition of the delegation has sparked a political row in the eastern Indian state, with the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticising the inclusion of Kalpana Soren, an MLA and the Chief Minister’s wife, and the absence of Industries Minister Sanjay Prasad Yadav. Yadav, a leader of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), is part of the ruling coalition in Jharkhand.
The official delegation includes Chief Secretary Alka Tiwari, Additional Chief Secretary Avinash Kumar, Industries Secretary Arwa Rajkamal, Industries Director Sushant Gaurav, CM’s Personal Advisor Ajay Kumar Singh, Kalpana Soren, and a retired Indian Foreign Service officer.
BJP State President and Leader of the Opposition Babulal Marandi questioned the rationale behind the delegation’s composition, alleging political sidelining and misuse of public funds. “If the purpose of this trip is to bring foreign investment, then the biggest question is why the Industry Minister is not being taken along? Does the Minister have no role in the investment talks?” Marandi said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
He further alleged that Yadav was similarly excluded from a previous investment summit in Kolkata, where Kalpana Soren was brought in at the last moment. Marandi said the move raises questions about the official capacity in which Kalpana is representing the state on such foreign visits.
Responding to the criticism, a senior official from the Industries Department defended the visit, calling it a part of the state’s broader strategy to attract FDI. The delegation is expected to showcase Jharkhand’s industrial roadmap, mine auction prospects, and public-private partnership opportunities to global investors.
Jharkhand is one of India’s most resource-rich states, contributing significantly to the country’s industrial output. It is home to major industrial players including Tata Steel, Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), and the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC).
