Former Jharkhand CM and ex-JMM leader Champai Soren joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday, two days after quitting the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha on August 28 due to his dissatisfaction with the party's current working policies and style. As he joined the saffron camp, Soren reiterated how joining BJP would enable him to save tribals' identity and keep a check on the Bangladeshi infiltration in Jharkhand's Santhal Pargana.


He joined the BJP in the presence of Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, and Jharkhand BJP President Babulal Marandi. The ceremony was held in Ranchi, Jharkhand.






Soren also blamed the Congress for putting the identity of tribals at stake, adding "I am committed to deliver justice to people.I nurtured JMM with my sweat and blood but was humiliated and insulted. I am compelled to join the BJP. I am now proud to be a member of the world's largest political party. I was not in a position to tolerate humiliation and snooping".


Referring to Himanta Biswa's claim that Soren had been under "surveillance of his own government" police for the last five months, the Champai Soren said: "After I was put under surveillance by Jharkhand govt in Delhi, Kolkata, my resolve to join BJP strengthened."


During Soren's BJP joining ceremomy, Assam CM Biswa commented on the Jharkhand government putting the former under surveillance. "Even I am a CM of a state, and no CM of our country tries to spy on his/ her own state ministers, but it was done by Hemant Soren. Delhi Police arrested two people for spying (on Champai Soren), but Hemant Soren said that they were sent to provide security," he said. Biswa questioned if those men had been sent for Soren's security then "why didn't they have any weapons and arms?" He further said that the government will give a "befitting reply" for this after two months.


The 67-year-old tribal leader, who earned the nickname 'Jharkhand's Tiger' was visibly overwhelmed by the welcome he received as he joined the party, as seen in the visuals of the ceremony.






A close aide of JMM chief Shibu Soren, Champai Soren had quit JMM from all its posts and primary membership saying that he was compelled to do so due to the party's style of working. "It is with great sorrow that I must say that the party, which we envisioned and for which we wandered through forests, mountains, and villages under your guidance, has now deviated from its path," he wrote in his resignation letter.


Champai Soren was appointed as the CM of Jharkhand on February 2 when Hemant Soren resigned, following his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case. He resigned from the post on July 3 after Hemant Soren was granted bail, clearing way for the latter to resume office on July 4.


On Champai Soren joining the saffron camp, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said: "Champai Soren worked very hard for the creation of Jharkhand and he dedicated his life to the service of the public. He has joined the BJP to remove the corrupt Jharkhand government from power. We welcome him. 'Tiger abhi zinda hai'. He is the Tiger of Jharkhand and we will form the government in Jharkhand..."






BJP leader Sita Soren, who was also present at the ceremony, said: "You all know that the CM (of Jharkhand) thinks he is a lion, he considers the bow and arrow (JMM symbol) as his property; he doesn't know that the bow and arrow belonged to my husband late Durga Soren, and he (Hemant Soren) hijacked it."


'Only BJP Seems Serious On Bangladeshi Infiltration Issue': Soren


Soren, in an exclusive interview with ABP News, expressed his faith in PM Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, whom he met ahead of quitting JMM. He said that he was given the confidence he needed and was now assured he would be able to save the existence of tribals in Jharkhand.


In a social media post on August 28, Soren had said that he joined BJP in order to save the idenitity and existence of tribals, which is at stake to a infiltration from Bangladesh. "If these intruders, who are causing economic and social harm to the tribals and natives, are not stopped, the existence of our society in Santhal Pargana will be in danger," he said in a post on on X (formerly Twitter).


"In many areas including Pakur, Rajmahal, their number has become more than that of tribals. Apart from politics, we have to make this issue a social movement, only then the existence of tribals will be saved. Only BJP seems serious on this issue and other parties are ignoring it for the sake of votes," he added.