Champai Soren to join BJP on Friday, announces Himanta Biswa Sarma

In January, Champai Soren became Jharkhand CM after Hemant Soren's arrest by ED. In July, however, the latter again took over as CM, days after getting bail.

Champai Soren, the former chief minister of Jharkhand, will join the BJP on Friday, Himanta Biswa Sarma, the party's co-incharge for the upcoming assembly elections in the state, said in a late-night tweet on Monday.

Jharkhand ex-CM Champai Soren with Union home minister Amit Shah and Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma (Image courtesy: x.com/himantabiswa)

“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,” the Assam CM's post on X (formerly Twitter) read.

Sarma's announcement ends days of speculations concerning the tribal stalwart's next move following the latter's unceremonious exit as chief minister. In January, JMM working president Hemant Soren, Jharkhand's then CM, was arrested by the ED in an alleged land scam case; the party then picked Champai, a senior member of the JMM and a minister in the state government, to take over as chief minister.

However, in July, days after being granted regular bail by the high court, Hemant Soren returned as the chief minister of the poll-bound state.

Days later, even as rumours linking him to the BJP began doing the rounds, an emotional former CM, in a long post on X, recalled his ‘bitter humiliation,’ adding that this forced him to look for an ‘alternative path.’

The veteran politician also stated how he now had ‘three options’: retirement from politics, forming a separate political outfit, or find a ‘companion on this path, then to travel further with him.’

In the previous assembly elections, held in November-December 2019, the JMM-led Mahagathbandhan, ousted the BJP-led NDA from power. In the 81-member assembly, the Mahagathbandhan won 47 seats (JMM: 30, Congress: 16, RJD: 1) while the BJP won all 25 seats that went to the NDA.