Jharkhand politics: Former Jharkhand Chief Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader Champai Soren, amid rumours about his potential switch to the BJP, said on Sunday that he felt as if he had 'no existence in the party' for which he had dedicated his entire life and was forced to look for an alternative path. Soren also hinted that he could join another party before the Jharkhand Assembly elections.
His statement came hours after he reached Delhi amid speculations about him joining the BJP.
'Experienced bitter humiliation as CM'
In a long post on X in Hindi, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader said that he experienced bitter humiliation as chief minister. He claimed all his government programmes were cancelled on July 3 by the party leadership without his knowledge.
"The day after Hul Diwas, I came to know that all my programs for the next two days have been postponed by the party leadership. One of these was a public program in Dumka, while the other program was to distribute appointment letters to PGT teachers. On asking, I came to know that the coalition has called a meeting of the legislative party on July 3, till then you cannot attend any program as CM," he said.
“Can there be anything more humiliating in a democracy than a Chief Minister's programs being cancelled by another person? Despite swallowing this bitter pill of insult, I said that the appointment letters would be distributed in the morning, while the legislative party meeting would be held in the afternoon, so I would attend it from there. But, I was flatly refused from there,” Champai Soren added.
‘Blow to my self-respect’
“For the first time in my spotless political journey of the last four decades, I was broken from within. I could not understand what to do. For two days, I sat quietly and introspected, kept searching for my mistake in the whole incident. I did not have the greed for power even a bit, but to whom could I show this blow to my self-respect? Where could I express the pain inflicted by my own people?” the former CM said in the social post.
He received a "big blow to self-respect" when he was asked to resign as the chief minister after Hemant Soren was released on bail. He stated that he was not aware of the agenda of the meeting of the MLAs and other INDIA bloc leaders, after Chief Minister Hemant Soren was released from jail.
"The Chief Minister has the right to call a meeting of the legislative party, but I was not even told the agenda of the meeting. During the meeting, I was asked to resign. I was surprised, but I had no desire for power, so I immediately resigned, but my heart was emotional due to the injury to my self-respect," he said.
'Was forced to take alternate path'
“I was so emotional due to the insulting behaviour I was facing for the last three days that I was trying to control my tears, but they were only interested in the chair. I felt as if I had no existence in that party, no existence at all, for which I had dedicated my entire life. In the meantime, many such insulting incidents happened, which I do not want to mention right now. After so much insult and contempt, I was forced to look for an alternative path,” Soren said.
On his future moves, the JMM leader said, "With a heavy heart, I said in the same meeting of the legislative party that - "A new chapter of my life is going to start from today." I had three options in this. First, to retire from politics, second, to form my own separate organization and third, if I find a companion on this path, then to travel further with him. From that day till today, and till the upcoming Jharkhand assembly elections, all options are open for me in this journey."
Ex-CM Champai Soren, several other JMM MLAs likely to join BJP
Former Jharkhand CM Champai Soren is likely to join the BJP ahead of upcoming Assembly elections in the state, sources said. Soren, who is currently serving as a minister in the Hemant Soren-led Jharkhand government, is reportedly in contact with BJP leaders. According to sources, political circles are abuzz with speculation that former Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MLA Lobin Hembrom may also join the BJP along with Soren.
However, after reaching Delhi airport, he said he had no plane to go anywhere. "Hum abhi jahan hain wahin par hain (I am where I am)," he asserted when he was asked about his plan to join the BJP. He said he had come to Delhi for personal reasons and would meet his daughter.
In July, Champai Soren, along with 10 other leaders of the JMM-led coalition took oath as ministers in the Hemant Soren government in Jharkhand.
Champai had resigned from the post of CM on July 3, a day before JMM executive president Hemant Soren took oath as the 13th chief minister of Jharkhand on July 4. Hemant Soren was released from jail on June 28 after the Jharkhand High Court granted bail to him in a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam. He had resigned as the CM shortly before his arrest on January 31 by the Enforcement Directorate.
