Assam Chief Minister and Jharkhand in-charge of the Assembly elections, Himanta Biswa Sarma, declared on X on Monday night that Ex-Chief Minister Champai Soren will be joining the BJP on August 30 (Friday) in Ranchi.
The announcement was made a few days after the JMM rebel leader claimed on social media that he felt “humiliated” during the July change of power in Jharkhand, when party leader Hemant Soren took Champai’s position as Chief Minister. The rebel leader is now considering his next move.
The Assam CM shared a photo of Champai sitting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and him, and wrote: “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.”
Reacting to the photo of Champai meeting Shah, sources in CM Hemant Soren’s camp said: “It is great news for us because Champai Soren is exposed now. It would have been difficult for us had he run independently, as he would have taken a large vote share from the JMM.”
After Hemant Soren resigned in February of this year, just hours before he was arrested in connection with an alleged money laundering case, Champai took over as Jharkhand’s 12th chief minister. Tension between the Champai and Hemant camps began to simmer when Hemant was granted bail in June, and a drama occurred during a coalition MLAs’ meeting. Resentful at being left out of the loop while being the chief minister, insiders claim Champai objected in the meeting at not being informed when different shows were cancelled. According to the reports, Champai lost it during the meeting and needed to be consoled by a top Congressman.
One week later, on July 3, Champai left the position to allow Hemant to assume the role once more as the CM.
After his whereabouts were discovered late on August 17, Champai made news once more. According to sources, he travelled to Kolkata to meet with BJP leaders.
On August 18, Champai reached New Delhi. When asked by reporters whether he met BJP’s Subhendu Adhikari in Kolkata, he denied it and said he was in the city for “some personal work”. On the possibility of his defection to the BJP, Champai told the reporters: Hum jahan hain wahin par rahenge (I will remain where I am).”
He expressed his “humiliation” in a late August 18 post on X, stating that he was considering his options, including retiring, joining a another party, or starting his own.
On August 21, after travelling via Kolkata to go to Jharkhand from New Delhi, Champai gathered his followers in the Saraikela Kharsawan district. “I thought I would retire, but while returning from Kolkata, I met many of my supporters who had gathered at various points in Jharkhand, extending support to my cause,” Champai stated, dispelling the speculations of his impending retirement. This caused me to reconsider. I’m going to start my own party now, and if I make friends along the way, I might even join them.
