In a setback to Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, former CM Champai Soren has joined the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), former Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi claimed. Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha is also part of the BJP-led NDA bloc. Sharing the development on X, Manjhi said Champai Soren was a tiger and will remain a tiger. Champai Soren was popularly called ‘Tiger’ for his role in creating a separate state of Jharkhand, breaking away from Bihar.
Champai Soren was appointed as the Chief Minister after Hemant Soren resigned following his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in an alleged land scam case in January this year. However, when Hemant Soren was granted bail, he again took charge of the state in July this year by removing Champai Soren from the post.
Champai da, you were a tiger, you are a tiger and you will always be a tiger.
Welcome to the NDA family.
Johar Tiger…@ChampaiSoren– Jitan Ram Manjhi (@jitanrmanjhi) August 18, 2024
Champai Soren recently shared a lengthy post on X, where he detailed three possible paths for his future after considerable “self-reflection.” Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader Champai Soren on Sunday said that he experienced “bitter humiliation” as chief minister, forcing him to look for an alternative path.
His comment came soon after he arrived in Delhi amid speculation about a possible switch to the BJP. “After so much humiliation, I was forced to look for an alternative path,” Champai posted on his social media accounts. He claimed that all his government programmes in the first week of July were abruptly cancelled by the party leadership without his knowledge. “When I enquired about the reasons for the cancellation, I was informed that there was a meeting of party legislators on July 3 and I could not attend any government programme till then,” he said.
“Can there be anything more humiliating in a democracy than a chief minister’s programme being cancelled by someone else?” he asked. Soren claimed that though the chief minister had the authority to call a meeting of the legislative group, he was not even informed of the agenda of the meeting.
“During the meeting, I was asked to resign. I was taken aback. Since I had no desire for power, I resigned immediately. However, my self-esteem was deeply hurt,” Soren added. He said he was emotional and had difficulty controlling his tears.
“But the only thing he seemed interested in (referring to Prime Minister Hemant Soren, without naming him) was the presidency. I felt I didn’t exist, I had no presence in the party to which I had dedicated my entire life,” he said.
Soren said he faced many such humiliations, which he preferred not to detail at this time.
The former Chief Minister said he had announced at the legislature party meeting, “A new chapter in my life is going to begin from today.” “From that day till now, and during the upcoming Jharkhand Assembly elections, all options are open for me in this journey,” he said.
Soren stressed that this is a personal battle and that he has no intention of implicating any party member or harming the organisation. “I would never dream of harming the party that we have built with our blood and sweat. But circumstances have been created in such a way that…” he added.
He also mentioned that party leader Shibu Soren is not actively involved in politics due to health reasons. “Had he been active, things would have been different,” Soren said. The former chief minister claimed that during his tenure as chief minister, he took numerous decisions in the public interest.
“The people of the state will evaluate the decisions I took during my tenure, keeping in mind the elderly, women, youth, students and all sections of society,” he added. Soren assumed charge as Jharkhand’s 12th chief minister on February 2, soon after his predecessor Hemant Soren resigned just before he was arrested by the education department in a money laundering case.
Hemant Soren was released from prison on June 28 after the high court granted him bail. On July 3, he was elected as the party’s leader in the legislature. Soren subsequently submitted his resignation letter to the governor, paving the way for Hemant Soren to be sworn in as Chief Minister for the third time.
Amid speculation that JMM leader Champai Soren may join the BJP, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Sunday accused the saffron camp of “capturing” MPs and “dividing society.” Soren’s statement came hours after JMM legislator and former Chief Minister Champai Soren arrived in Delhi.
At a government function in Jharkhand’s Godda district, Hemant Soren alleged that the BJP brought people from Gujarat, Assam and Maharashtra to “spread poison among tribals, Dalits, backward classes and minorities and make them fight each other”.
“Forget about society, these people are working to destroy families and parties. They steal MPs. Money is such a big thing that politicians are quick to move from one place to another,” he said. Champai Soren left for Delhi on Sunday amid speculation that he may join the BJP, sources said.
A close aide of Champai Soren claimed that the former prime minister left for the national capital from Kolkata. Soon after landing in Delhi, the JMM leader told reporters that he had not met any BJP leader and was in the national capital on a “personal” visit.
Hemant Soren also said that assembly elections in Jharkhand are due this year but the timing of the elections will be decided by “the opposition party in the state, not the Election Commission”. “It seems that the Election Commission is no longer a constitutional institution as it has been occupied by the BJP people,” he said. “I challenge them (the BJP) that if assembly elections are held today, they will be wiped out of Jharkhand tomorrow,” the chief minister said.
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