In a significant development ahead of the Jharkhand assembly elections, former Chief Minister of Jharkhand and notable Adivasi leader, Champai Soren, will join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on August 30. This was confirmed by Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chief Minister of Assam and BJP’s co-incharge for the upcoming Jharkhand elections. Sarma made the announcement on X (formerly Twitter) late Monday night, putting an end to days of speculation regarding Soren’s political future.
Sarma’s tweet read, “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.”
Champai Soren’s move to the BJP comes after a period of political turbulence. Earlier this year, Jharkhand’s then Chief Minister, Hemant Soren, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) over an alleged land scam. Following his arrest, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) appointed Champai Soren, a senior party member and minister in the state government, as the new Chief Minister.
However, Hemant Soren returned to power in July after receiving bail from the High Court, leading to Champai Soren’s departure from the Chief Minister’s office. Following this, rumors began swirling about Soren’s potential switch to the BJP. In an emotional post on X, Champai Soren expressed his feelings of “bitter humiliation,” stating that it led him to seek an “alternative path.”
The upcoming assembly elections in Jharkhand, where the BJP aims to regain control, are expected to be fiercely contested. In the 2019 assembly elections, the JMM-led Mahagathbandhan ousted the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) from power, securing 47 seats in the 81-member assembly (JMM: 30, Congress: 16, RJD: 1), while the BJP won 25 seats.
Champai Soren’s decision to join the BJP is likely to have a significant impact on the political dynamics in Jharkhand, particularly as the state prepares for the upcoming elections.
