Putting all speculations to rest, former Chief Minister of Jharkhand Champai Soren on Monday (August 26) called on Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the national capital and will join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on August 30, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma announced.
"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," Sarma posted on X.
With the announcement, speculations around Soren's future after his departure from the JMM were laid to rest. Champai Soren had earlier said that he has multiple options in front of him, including floating a new political outfit and also joining one.
Himanta on inducting Champai Soren
Himanta earlier on Monday expressed his desire to induct Champai Soren, and also Hemant Soren into the BJP.
"I personally want Champai Soren to join the BJP and strengthen us. However, he is too senior for me to make any comment on him...I want Hemant Soren to also join the BJP. BJP means patriotism...We are also ready to talk to Hemant Soren ji to stop intruders in Jharkhand. We have to save Jharkhand...For us, the country comes first...Today the biggest problem facing Jharkhand is the intruders...Our party's only aim is that you fulfil the promises you made during the elections and free Jharkhand from intruders...We have only these 2 demands..." the Assam CM said.
Conditions under which BJP would support JMM
Sarma further outlined the conditions under which the BJP would extend support to the JMM and said that the saffron party will stand in support of the Hemant Soren-led outfit if the latter stands against infiltrators.
"If he (Hemant Soren) gives 5 lakh jobs before September, we are with him. If he stands against the infiltrators, we are with him. If he stands against the treatment meted out to Hindus during Muharram, we are with him. For us, the nation comes first... JMM should support us, we also support JMM, we have to throw the infiltrators out of Jharkhand," he said.
Champai Soren resigned as the chief minister of Jharkhand after Hemant Soren was granted bail in the money laundering case. Hemant Soren was once again sworn in as the Chief Minister.
What had Champai Soren said earlier?
Earlier last week, asserting that he may float a new political outfit, Champai Soren said he would not quit politics. While talking to reporters, he said, "I had mentioned three options - retirement, organisation, or friend. I will not retire; I will strengthen the party, a new party, and if I meet a good friend on the way, then will move ahead with them," Champai Soren said.
NDA ally Jitan Ram Manjhi had "welcomed" Soren earlier
Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Sunday (August 18) spilt the beans and “welcomed” him in the “NDA family”. He described Soren as a “tiger” and said that he was and will “remain a tiger”. This comes after former Jharkhand chief minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader Champai Soren arrived in Delhi and posted a long emotional note on his X handle claiming that he was “forced to look for an alternative path”.
“Champai Da, you were a tiger, you are a tiger, and you will remain a tiger. Welcome to the NDA family,” Manjhi posted on X.
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