Champai Soren quits JMM, set to join BJP on Aug 30

Former chief minister Champai Soren on Wednesday resigned from the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, claiming that the JMM's “present style of functioning and policies” forced him to leave the party he served for many years.

Soren, who is scheduled to join the Bharatiya Janata Party on August 30, also resigned as an MLA of the state assembly and a minister in the Jharkhand Cabinet.

"Today I resigned from the primary membership and all posts of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha. I will continue to fight on the issues of tribals, Dalits, backward and common people of Jharkhand," Soren said.

In a letter to party supremo Shibu Soren, the senior tribal leader said he was forced to quit after being aggrieved by the present style of functioning of the JMM and its policies.

"I have never ever imagined in my dreams that I would quit JMM, a party which is like a family to me... The turn of events of the past forced me to take this decision with much pain...I am pained to say that the party has deviated from its principle," he said in the letter.

Champai Soren became the chief minister of Jharkhand on February 2, shortly after Hemant Soren resigned as the CM shortly before being arrested by the ED in a money laundering case. Champai quit the post and Hemant took oath as the CM again in July, after he was released on bail.

He lamented that there is no forum in the party left to express one's pain and "you (Shibu Soren) are not active in politics due to ill health but you will continue to be my guide...".

Soren, who met Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi earlier this week and announced joining the saffron party, reached Ranchi on Wednesday along with his son and was greeted by a large number of supporters.

"My decision (to join BJP) is in the interest of Jharkhand... I am used to struggles," Soren said.

Asked about the allegation that he is under "surveillance", the former CM said he is not afraid of any situation and indicated that he will resign from JMM and as minister later on Wednesday.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma earlier in the day alleged that Champai Soren had been under surveillance of his own government's police for the last five months.

Two sub-inspectors of Special Branch of the Jharkhand police were caught by Soren's people in a Delhi hotel while they were keeping watch on the ex-chief minister, Sarma claimed.

The JMM, however, asserted that the two police officials were deputed for the security of Soren and were soon released after being detained.

Demanding an apology from saffron party leaders, the JMM in a statement said, "We will give a befitting reply to BJP soon and thwart any attempt by it to grab power here."

Soren said he is not afraid of any conspiracy against him.

He said that he did not think it proper to reply to the allegation that he was trapped in ‘operation lotus', a term indicating an attempt to topple governments in states ruled by non-BJP parties.

Champai Soren's son Babulal Soren said JMM failed to give respect to them and now BJP embraced them in a dignified manner.

Meanwhile, BJP state president Babulal Marandi demanded a probe under a sitting judge of the High Court into the "surveillance" on Champai Soren.

Addressing a press conference in Ranchi, Marandi said, "Two special branch officials have been arrested in Delhi and there are allegations of attempts to honey trap Champai Soren ji. This is a serious issue.”

There has been misuse of police machinery to silence those who raise voice against the Hemant Soren government, the former chief minister alleged.

On Tuesday, Champai Soren had asserted that he is joining the BJP to save tribal identity and existence, which is at stake in the state's Santhal Pargana region due to “rampant” infiltration from Bangladesh.

The senior JMM leader said only the saffron party seems serious over the issue of tribals, while others are indulging in vote bank politics.

"Today, Bangladeshi infiltration has become a big problem in Santhal Pargana, the holy land of (freedom fighters) Baba Tilka Manjhi and Sido-Kanhu. The dignity of our mothers, sisters and daughters is in danger," Champai Soren said in a post on X.

These intruders are causing economic and social harm to the local people, and if they are not stopped, the existence of "our society in Santhal Pargana will be in danger", he said.

In many areas including Pakur and Rajmahal, the number of infiltrators has become more than that of tribals, Soren claimed.

Only the BJP seems serious on this issue and other parties are ignoring it for the sake of vote bank politics, he said, explaining why he decided to join the saffron party.

The veteran politician had earlier said he experienced "bitter humiliation" as chief minister, which compelled him to seek an alternative path.

He alleged that all his government programmes in the first week of July were abruptly cancelled by the party leadership without his knowledge.

Soren started his political career by getting elected as an independent MLA in 1991. Four years later, he contested the assembly polls on JMM ticket and defeated the BJP candidate.