JMM’s Champai Soren To Join BJP? Former Jharkhand CM Addresses Growing Speculations — WATCH

Former Jharkhand CM Champai Soren dismisses rumors of joining BJP. Ex-Jharkhand BJP President Deepak Prakash expressed on Saturday that Champai Soren's inclusion in the party would highly depend on the central leadership.

Former Jharkhand Chief Minister and JMM leader Champai Soren has dismissed rumours about him joining the BJP, stating that he is unaware of such speculations and "he is where he was."

During a brief interaction with reporters on Saturday, Soren said told news agency ANI "I don't know what rumours are being spread. I don't know what news is being spread so I cannot tell whether it's true or not, I don't know anything about it...Hum jahan par hain vahi par hain."

Champai Soren had taken oath as the 12th Chief Minister of Jharkhand on February 2 this year in the Raj Bhavan. Later, he resigned from the post on July 3, just a day before JMM executive president Hemant Soren took oath as the 13th Chief Minister of Jharkhand on July 4.

Speculation has been rife about the future role of Champai Soren, who had stepped in as Chief Minister when Hemant Soren was arrested in connection with an alleged land scam.

BJP Also Denies Rumours, Says Champai Soren's Inclusion Depends On Central Leadership

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma who is the election co-incharge from the BJP dismissing the speculations, said "No one is in touch with us yet. I am also hearing these reports from the channels. Champai Soren is a very senior leader, I do not want to make any informal comment about him."

The BJP held a meeting of its district heads last week, attended virtually by-election in-charge and Union Minister Shivraj Chauhan, while Himanta Sarma and state BJP President Babulal Marandi attended in Ranchi.

During the meeting, the BJP outlined its election strategies. Meanwhile, former Jharkhand BJP President and Rajya Sabha MP Deepak Prakash said on Saturday that Champai Soren's inclusion in the party would highly depend on the central leadership.

"I have heard this in reports only. I don't have any authentic information... He (Champai Soren) was serving Jharkhand as a good CM... Everything depends on the central leadership," he said, as quoted by ANI. Further, he stated that the way Champai Soren was removed from the CM of the state was a major setback.