Upset by “current style of functioning in JMM,” Ex-Jharkhand CM joins BJP

Champai Soren, the former Chief Minister of Jharkhand, joined the BJP in Ranchi on August 30 ahead of the upcoming assembly elections. The former Chief Minister, who was a close aide to Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) founder Shibu Soren, left the party on August 28, citing dissatisfaction with the current style of functioning in JMM.

In Ranchi, Soren and a large number of his supporters joined the saffron camp in the presence of federal minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Champai Soren, who took oath as a minister in the Hemant Soren cabinet last month, claimed that the state government’s “present style of functioning and policies” drove him to leave the party for which he had worked for many years.

He became Chief Minister of Jharkhand on February 2, shortly after Hemant Soren resigned from his position before being detained by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case. Champai resigned on July 3, and Hemant took oath as chief minister again on July 4, after being released on bail.

According to rumours, Champai Soren was dissatisfied with how he was abruptly dismissed from the CM position to make space for Hemant Soren to become CM again. He expressed in close quarters that he felt “insulted” by the manner in which he was displaced.

Meanwhile, on August 30, JMM member Ramdas Soren took oath as a minister in Jharkhand’s Hemant Soren administration.

Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar delivered the oath of office and secrecy to Ramdas Soren at a ceremony in Raj Bhavan attended by Chief Minister Hemant Soren, key JMM leaders, and other government officials. Ramdas Soren joined the state government after Champai Soren resigned as a minister and MLA.

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