Following days of speculation, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said that former Jharkhand CM Champai Soren will join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on August 30 in Ranchi.
Sarma’s confirmation came after Soren met Union Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah on Monday. Sarma, who is the BJP’s co-incharge for the Jharkhand assembly polls, scheduled to be held in November-December, shared a picture of the meeting on X in which he too participated.
This development will serve as a major setback for Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM). Champai, currently serving as a minister in the Hemant Soren cabinet, has yet to resign from the JMM and the state government.
He had served as Jharkhand chief minister for five months, between February 2 to July 3, when Hemant Soren was jailed. On August 20, he expressed his disenchantment with his party and leadership.
The rumours about Champai Soren’s switch began doing the rounds after Soren landed in Delhi two weeks ago. Two days later, Soren said he experienced “bitter humiliation” during his tenure as the chief minister of the state.
He 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 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 became an MLA for the first time as an Independent in 1995.