Is ex-Jharkhand CM Champai Soren joining BJP?
On Saturday, Champai Soren, the former Chief Minister of Jharkhand and current Water Resources Minister, dismissed rumors that he was planning to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the assembly elections.
“I don’t know what rumors are being spread. I don’t know what news is being run so I cannot tell whether it’s true or not. I don’t know anything about it… I am here only,” Soren, who served as CM in Hemant Soren’s absence, was quoted by ANI as saying.
Hemant Soren was compelled to resign as chief minister on January 31 before being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with an alleged land scam case. During his absence, Champai Soren served as the chief minister from February 2 to July 3.
On June 28, Hemant Soren was granted bail by the Jharkhand High Court in the case. On July 4, he was sworn in as the chief minister once again. In his cabinet, the 49-year-old leader included Champai Soren, who was assigned the Water Resources Department, along with the Higher Education and Technical Education portfolios.
What was Champai Soren’s fault?’: BJP
The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has criticized the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leadership over the manner in which Champai Soren was replaced as the Chief Minister.
“He is a significant figure… The 3.5 crore people of Jharkhand were satisfied with his work… However, the way he was removed from the CM post was unfortunate. It was a setback that a good person was removed from the CM’s chair. What was his fault?” BJP MP Deepak Prakash told ANI, adding that the inclusion of Champai Soren in the party would depend on the central leadership.
Earlier in the day, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is the election co-in-charge for Jharkhand, declined to provide a definitive response to the speculations.
