Champai Soren to join BJP on August 30, confirms Himanta Biswa Sarma

Sarma shared a picture of Soren meeting with Home Minister Shah in Delhi as part of the announcement.

former Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren will join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on August 30 in Ranchi, confirmed Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is also the BJP's co-incharge for the upcoming Jharkhand assembly polls, took to the microblogging site X in the late hours of August 26 to announce that former Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren will be joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Sarma shared a picture of Soren meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi as part of the announcement.

"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," wrote the Assam CM on X.

Former Chief Minister of Jharkhand and a distinguished Adivasi leader of our country, @ChampaiSoren Ji met Honble Union Home Minister @AmitShah Ji a short while ago. He will officially join the @BJP4India on 30th August in Ranchi. pic.twitter.com/OOAhpgrvmu
Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) August 26, 2024

A veteran leader of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Soren had recently expressed dissatisfaction with his party's leadership, accusing them of insulting him. Soren, who stepped down as Jharkhand's Chief Minister on July 3 after Hemant Soren staked his claim to form the government following five months in jail, had dismissed rumours on August 18 that he might switch sides and join the BJP. Despite ongoing speculation about his potential defection, Soren firmly denied any plans to align with the BJP.

In a social media post, Champai Soren reflected on the unexpected events that led to his brief tenure as the 12th Chief Minister of Jharkhand and his subsequent resignation following the release of Hemant Soren on bail in a land scam case. Hemant Soren was granted bail on June 28 and was sworn in as Chief Minister on July 4, replacing Champai Soren.

Known among party workers as the "Jharkhand Tiger" for his role in the movement that led to the creation of Jharkhand in the 1990s, Soren had noted that he had no intention of quitting politics. He even suggested that starting a new political party remained a viable option for him. Despite the growing speculation about his potential shift in political allegiance, Soren, two weeks ago, downplayed the rumours by stating, "hum jahan par hain vahi par hain" (I am where I am). However, around the same time, he made a trip to Delhi, claiming that it was for personal reasons.

Champai Soren is known for his significant role in the movement for the creation of Jharkhand and has been a prominent figure in the state's political landscape. His induction into the BJP is seen as a strategic move by the party as it prepares for the state elections later this year.