Champai Soren Accuses JMM Of 'Humiliation', Mulls '3 Choices' As CM Hemant Slams BJP Amid Switch Rumours

Champai Soren, former Jharkhand CM, faces a political crisis within his party, the JMM. He hints at leaving the party and forming a new one or joining the BJP.

File photo of former Jharkhand CM and JMM leader Champai Soren

Source : PTI

Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren has publicly accused the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) of humiliating him, amidst swirling rumours of his potential defection to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In a Facebook post on Sunday, Soren detailed his recent experiences and future options, raising eyebrows within political circles.

Soren's post began with an emotional appeal to his supporters, reflecting on his journey from a humble farmer's son to a prominent political figure. He highlighted his commitment to addressing the concerns of Jharkhand's marginalised communities and his dedication during his tenure as Chief Minister, which concluded on 3 July.

He expressed his dismay at the cancellation of his scheduled events, including a public programme in Dumka and a distribution ceremony for PGT teacher appointment letters, following an unprecedented move by the party leadership. Soren claimed that he was informed that a meeting of the legislative party had been called, and he was instructed not to attend any programmes as Chief Minister until then.

"Is there anything more humiliating in a democracy than having a Chief Minister's programmes cancelled by another person?" Soren questioned in his post. Despite this, he expressed his willingness to participate in the appointment letter distribution if it could be accommodated. However, his request was allegedly denied.

Soren, who has spent over four decades in politics, described feeling internally shattered and confused, stating that his sense of self-respect had been deeply wounded. He expressed frustration over the lack of internal party mechanisms for addressing grievances and decisions being made unilaterally.

The former Chief Minister revealed that he was left with three options: to retire from politics, to form a new political organisation, or to continue with potential allies. He stated that he would keep all options open until the upcoming Jharkhand assembly elections and clarified that his personal struggle should not affect the party or its members.

BJP Works To Break Families And Parties: Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren

Amid speculation that Champai Soren could join the BJP, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren on Sunday claimed that the saffron camp was poaching MLAs and dividing society.

Addressing a government function in Jharkhand's Godda district, Hemant Soren claimed that the BJP brought people from Gujarat, Assam and Maharashtra to spread poison among the tribals, Dalits, backward classes and minorities and cause fights among them, news agency PTI reported.

#WATCH | Godda: Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren says, "These people (BJP) bring people from Gujarat, Assam, Maharashtra and spread poison among the tribals, Dalits and backward people here...Forget about society, these people (BJP) work to break families, they work to break parties.… pic.twitter.com/kEwGXcRpsh

— ANI (@ANI) August 18, 2024

"Forget about society, these people work to break families and parties. They poach MLAs. Money is such a thing that it doesn't take long for politicians to move here and there," he said, as quoted by PTI.

Champa Soren Joing BJP Will Cause Rift Within Saffron Party: Congress Leader

On Sunday, Soren travelled to Delhi amid ongoing speculations about his possible switch to the BJP. He landed in the national capital from Kolkata, stating that his visit was personal and not related to any BJP meetings. Amid rumours, Congress leader Ajoy Kumar suggested that if Soren were to join the BJP, it could lead to internal discord within the saffron party, news agency PTI reported. Kumar downplayed the potential impact on the INDIA bloc, noting that Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren would continue to represent the alliance in the upcoming elections.

"The ruling alliance will not face any issues as Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren will continue to be the face of the INDIA bloc in the forthcoming assembly polls. However, it would certainly cause a rift within the BJP," Kumar remarked, as quoted by PTI. He also raised concerns about the BJP's treatment of senior tribal leaders and questioned whether the party might be attempting to marginalise them.