In a setback for the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), its senior leader and former chief minister Champai Soren would soon be joining the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP), people aware of the development said.
Champai met union home minister Amit Shah late Monday night in New Delhi along with Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is also the saffron party’s co-incharge of Jharkhand assembly elections, scheduled to be held in November-December.
Assam CM on Champai Soren joining BJP
Champai would officially join the BJP on August 30, Sarma said in a social media post. “Former Chief Minister of Jharkhand and a distinguished Adivasi leader of our country, @ChampaiSoren Ji met Hon’ble Union Home Minister @AmitShah Ji a short while ago. He will officially join the @BJP4India on 30th August in Ranchi (sic.),” Sarma said in a post on X.
Earlier, while giving enough hint of a political handshake, Sarma had too reporters in Ranchi on Monday that he wants Champai to join the BJP.
“I want Champai Soren to join BJP. Now that he is in Delhi … Let’s see … Will try to talk to him. Anyway, I was having talks with him for the past 5-6 months but those were not political. I feel now time has come for having some political talks with him (Soren),” Sarma told the media at minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth’s Ranchi residence on Monday.
Champai, currently serving as a minister in Hemant Soren cabinet, is yet to resign from both the JMM and the government.
Champai, who served as Jharkhand chief minister for five months between February 2 to July 3, had on August 20 expressed his dischantment with his party and leadership.
Soren had posted on social media his pain and humiliation by the way he was removed from the CM post without any prior information, how his pre-scheduled events were cancelled without informing him, etc on social media platforms.
He had returned to Seraikela from Delhi on August 23 and had been touring the assembly seats Kharsawan, Chaibasa and Seraikela in Kolhan division, accounting for 14 assembly seats Soren has considerable influence in.
Six-time MLA Champai Soren has been winning from Seraikela since 1991 when he had become an MLA for the first time as an Independent in 1995.