On December 12, 1984 Sodnom was appointed chairman of the Council of Ministers, or prime minister, and was elected a member of the MPRP Politburo following the ouster of Yumjaagiyn Tsedenbal from the chairmanship of the Presidium of the People's Great Hural and the ascension of Sodnom's political ally Jambyn Batmönh to the position.