New Delhi:

For Hemant Soren, the beginning and end of 2024 could not have been more different. 

Less than a month into the year, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader was taken into custody by the Enforcement Directorate in a land scam case and he had made sure he resigned as the Jharkhand chief minister before he was arrested. Now, with a month left in the year, Mr Soren has emerged as the architect of a thumping victory, ensuring that the INDIA alliance remains in power in the state and he gets a second straight term as chief minister. 

The JMM leader also suffered multiple other setbacks in between.

After Mr Soren’s arrest on January 31, his sister-in-law, Sita Soren – the wife of his late brother Durga Soren – joined the BJP in March. She was miffed over alleged moves to make Mr Soren’s wife, Kalpana, the chief minister in his absence and was expelled from the JMM for ‘anti-party’ activities in May.

The former chief minister was then granted bail by the Jharkhand High Court in June, five months after his arrest. The court held that, prima facie, he was not guilty and was not likely to commit a similar offence, noting that both conditions for bail under the stringent Prevention of Money Laundering Act had been met. 

Champai Soren – a close aide of JMM chief Shibu Soren and widely seen as the number three in the party – was appointed the chief minister in Hemant Soren’s absence. Trouble began brewing, however, when the party asked him to resign in July after Mr Soren’s release.

“When the leadership had changed, I was given responsibility. You know the sequence of events. After Hemant Soren came back, we (the coalition) picked him as our leader and I have resigned. I am following the decision taken by the coalition,” an upset Champai Soren had said after resigning in July. 

He joined the BJP a month later, claiming that he had been “humiliated and insulted” and wanted to deliver justice to the people. The BJP also accused the JMM-Congress alliance of allowing “infiltration” in the state, an issue that appeared to be gaining traction among voters. 

Despite all this, and some seat-sharing trouble with allies like the Rashtriya Janata Dal, Mr Soren ensured that his party bettered its tally to a projected 33 this year in the 81-member Assembly, up from 30 in 2019. Good performances from the Congress, RJD and CPI (ML) have taken the ruling coalition’s number to 55, with the BJP-led alliance ahead in only 25 seats. 

Veteran leader Babulal Marandi, a former chief minister, Champai Soren, Hemant Soren’s ex aide and also a former chief minister, and his son are among BJP’s list of 66 candidates for Jharkhand polls released on Saturday evening.  

The announcement comes hours after Hemant Soren declared that the Congress and the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha or JMM will field candidates in 70 of the 81 assembly segments.

The BJP is contesting on 68 seats. Its allies, the All Jharkhand Students’ Union will contest on 10, the Janata Dal (U) on two, and the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) on one.  

Mr Marandi, the Jharkhand BJP president, will contest from Dhanwar, while Champai Soren and his son Babulal Soren will contest from Saraikella and Ghatshila, respectively.

Champai Soren, a veteran JMM leader who had to quit as Chief Minister to make way for Hemant Soren upon his release from jail, crossed over to the BJP in August.

Sita Soren, the sister-in-law of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, is BJP’s nominee from Jamtara.

The list also has the names of Geeta Koda, from Jaganathpur, and former Union minister Sudarshan Bhagat fighting from Gumla.

Jharkhand will vote in two phases, down from the five phases in 2019, on November 13 and 20. Votes will be counted on November 23.

In the 2019 Assembly elections, the JMM as part of the UPA (United Progressive alliance) contested 43 seats, the Congress contested 31 seats and the Rashtriya Janata Dal seven seats in the 81-member assembly. The UPA attained victory by winning 47 seats against BJP’s 25 seats.

New Delhi:

The BJP is ready with a list of three candidates for each assembly constituency in Jharkhand, where elections are due by the year-end, sources have told NDTV. The final list will take shape at a meeting with party chief JP Nadda, expected to be held shortly.

The BJP is contesting the election with allies Janata Dal United of Nitish Kumar and Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party. Sources said two of the state’s 81 assembly seats to go to JDU and one to LJP. Nine seats are also likely to be given to All Jharkhand Students’ Union, which is the BJP’s local ally.

Regarding candidates, the party has sought suggestions from three levels of workers — Mandal level, booth level and MPs. The list of three was then drawn up, taking into account the results of an internal survey. 

Sources said the party has focused on only one criterion — winnability – during candidate selection.

Also the party, which has been vocal about dynastic politics, will not shy away from giving tickets to family members of senior leaders, sources said. 

In a mark of optimism, the BJP will field candidates on all 28 tribal dominated seats, sources said. All candidates will be drawn from the tribal community. The decision flies in the face of the Lok Sabha election results earlier this year, when the party had lost from all five tribal-dominated seats of the state. Candidates of the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and its ally Congress had won from Khunti, Singhbhum, Lohardaga, Rajmahal, and Dumka.

In 2019, the BJP had won from Khunti, Lohardanga and Dumka, dispelling the perception about its unpopularity among tribals and Dalits. 

This time, the party is banking on Champai Soren, the senior leader of JMM who crossed over to the BJP after being asked to step down from the Chief Minister post once Chief Minister Hemant Soren, arrested in an alleged corruption case, got bail.

In the last assembly election in 2019, the BJP had won 25 seats, down from 37 in 2029 – but including 11 of the 14 tribal seats. The JMM had won 30 and its ally Congress 16. 

Election dates for Jharkhand and Maharashtra are likely to be announced after the results of Maharashtra and Jammu and Kashmir come in tomorrow.

Ranchi:

Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren was hospitalised following blood sugar-related complications, an official said on Sunday.

He was admitted to the Tata Main Hospital in Jamshedpur around 9 pm on Saturday.

He was admitted to the hospital after his blood sugar dipped and he felt dizzy, a close aide of the former CM said.

Tata Main Hospital GM Dr Sudhir Rai told PTI that Champai Soren’s condition was stable and improving.

In a post on X, Champai Soren said there was nothing to worry about him.

“Due to health related problems, I will be attending the ‘Manjhi Pargana Mahasammelan’ organised at veer bhumi Bhognadih today through video conferencing. According to the doctors, there is nothing to worry about. I will soon recover completely and come back among you all,” he said.

Champai Soren, 67, joined the BJP in August, alleging “disrespect” and “humiliation” in the JMM.

He was appointed the chief minister on February 2, following Hemant Soren’s resignation and subsequent arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case.

He left the post on July 3, clearing the way for Hemant Soren’s return to the chair after being granted bail.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Ranchi:

A day after former Jharkhand chief minister Champai Soren joined the BJP, ex-JMM legislator Lobin Hembrom on Saturday crossed over to the saffron camp.

Lobin Hembrom was given membership of the BJP by the party’s state chief Babulal Marandi in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

“The JMM has changed from what was it in Guruji’s (JMM supremo Shibu Soren) time. Now, there is no respect for senior leaders in the JMM. So, I decided to join the BJP for development of Jharkhand and uplift of tribals,” the former Borio legislator said at the saffron camp’s state headquarters here.

Speaking on the occasion, Himanta Sarma said, “All big leaders, who were part of separate Jharkhand movement, are now joining the BJP. The party wants overall development of the state and make it free from Bangladeshi infiltrators.” He also added, “JMM and Hemant Soren should also join the BJP’s movement against infiltrators and leave the politics of appeasement.” Champai Soren joined the BJP on Friday, two days after he quit the JMM citing dissatisfaction with the party’s current style of functioning and “bitter humiliation”.

Jharkhand BJP chief Babulal Marandi alleged, “The leaders, who nurtured JMM with their blood and sweat, are leaving the party. There is something wrong with the party. The JMM has nothing to do with tribals and indigenous people of the state. Its leaders are surrounded by middlemen and making money.” Lobin Hembrom was disqualified from the Jharkhand assembly under the anti-defection law with effect from July 26.

The former legislator, who had been vocal against his own party, contested as an independent candidate from the Rajmahal Lok Sabha seat, challenging JMM’s nominee Vijay Hansdak. Lobin Hembrom tasted defeat in the parliamentary elections.

The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) had initiated proceedings under the anti-defection law against Lobin Hembrom in the Speaker’s Tribunal. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

The former Chief Minister of Jharkhand, Champai Soren of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today, ending days of speculation. ‘Tiger’, as Soren is fondly called, is a strong tribal leader with a credible image. He is considered the right-hand man of JMM patriarch Shibu Soren and played a big role in the movement to carve out a separate state of Jharkhand from Bihar. 

With Soren’s entry, the BJP hopes to make a dent in the ST vote bank of the INDIA bloc, comprising the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). It also boosts the BJP’s chances of making a comeback in the state by exploiting the anti-incumbency against the Hemant Soren government amidst allegations of unfulfilled promises. 

BJP’s Need For A Stalwart Leader

Champai was appointed as Chief Minister after Hemant Soren was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in February 2024. Under his leadership, the INDIA bloc won five of the 14 Lok Sabha seats in the state, three more than the last time. The INDIA bloc, meanwhile, won all the five ST-reserved seats in the state, highlighting the anger in the community over the arrest of its leader. While the opposition alliance bagged 37% votes – a rise of 5 percentage points – the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) registered a vote share of 48%, a drop of 8 percentage points over the previous general election.

Following the BJP’s losses, questions had been raised about the leadership of party president Babulal Marandi former chief minister and Arjun Munda. In that context, the entry of Champai Soren fulfils to some extent the BJP’s need for stalwart tribal leaders. 

Why Champai Left

Perhaps the abrupt manner in which Champai Soren was asked to vacate the top post after the release of Hemant Soren hurt the ‘Tiger’. The JMM was born out of a struggle for a separate state. But, over the years, like any other regional party,  it has become a family-controlled unit. 

The STs account for 26.2% of the state’s population and hold the key to government formation. There are 28 ST-reserved seats, sixteen of which are located in the Santhal Pargana (northeast) and Kolhan (south) regions. The BJP could manage to win just two ST seats in 2019, down from 11 in 2014. This poor show is often cited as one of the main reasons for its loss in 2019. In contrast, the INDIA bloc swept these two regions in 2019, winning all the 16 seats. 

Champai himself hails from the Kolhan region, which includes East and West Singhbhum and Saraikela districts, and houses the industrial town of Jamshedpur. While the BJP had won five of the 14 seats here in 2014, in the next assembly election, it drew a blank. The party now hopes Champai Soren’s name will help it not only reverse its fortunes in the region but also bag a section of ST votes in the state overall, while it tries to consolidate OBC, upper caste and SC support.

A Close Contest In Jharkhand

Of the four states that will see elections to their assemblies this year – the other three being Jammu & Kashmir, Maharashtra and Haryana – Jharkhand is the only one where the BJP is not in power. As of now, the battle in the state is shaping up to be a close, seat-by-seat contest. A bulk of the BJP’s weak seats are in Santhal Pargana and Kolhan divisions, where Champai can help. In the latter, the huge Kurmi population has turned against the JMM as their demand for being included in the ST category hasn’t been met. 

New entrant Jairam Mahato’s Jharkhandi Bhasha Khatian Sangharsh Samiti (JBKSS) could play spoilsport here. In this year’s Lok Sabha polls, its entry split the opposition votes, which ultimately helped the BJP. The party bagged over 1.25 lakh votes in three seats. 

The Sarna Code

There’s another social factor. In recent years, many tribals have converted to Christianity, which has caused social friction. Tribal Christians dominate politics, especially in the JMM. The BJP has been exploiting these tensions, with most ST voters backing it being ‘Sarna’ tribals, who follow nature worship. Even so, in the Lok Sabha polls, the INDIA bloc got some support from them as it promised to fulfil a long-time demand that the BJP has been reluctant to consider: the implementation of a ‘Sarna Code’, which proposes a separate religious code for tribals who follow the Sarna religion. 

As Chief Minister, Champai Soren had promised to fulfil this demand and even accused the Centre of dragging its feet on it. It will be interesting to see how he now manages to balance this. Undoubtedly, the JMM will try to play up this ‘doublespeak’ to attack Soren.

Battle Lines Drawn

The JMM hopes to consolidate its SC-ST-Muslim vote base, which accounts for 50% of the state’s population. It also hopes that Mahato’s party will split the Kurmi vote, damaging the prospects of the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU). It is also counting on the Congress to tap some urban voters after its improved national performance in the Lok Sabha election.

On the other hand, the BJP is working on a state-level narrative to highlight the failures of the Hemant Soren government and its non-fulfilment of promises like unemployment allowance to youth, stove expense allowance to women, etc. It’s also hoping to attract young voters by highlighting the state’s jobs problem and its own promises in the recent Union Budget. 

A keen battle is on the cards. Champai’s entry definitely strengthens the BJP, but it remains to be seen whether he can ultimately deliver a win. 

(Amitabh Tiwari is a political strategist and commentator. In his earlier avatar, he was a corporate and investment banker.)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author

Former chief minister Champai Soren on Wednesday resigned from the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) saying he was forced to take such a step since he was aggrieved by the party’s present style of functioning and policies.

Champai Soren, who is scheduled to join the BJP 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,” Champai 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.

Champai Soren also wrote to the Speaker informing him about his resignation from the assembly, according to sources close to him.

He also resigned as a minister and another letter intimating that was dispatched to Chief Minister Hemant Soren.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren, who had been talking of a new beginning and hinting that he is starting his own party, today admitted that he is joining the BJP. In a social media post, he said it was meant to save tribal identity and existence, which is at stake due to “rampant” infiltration from Bangladesh.

“If these intruders, who are causing economic and social harm to the tribals and natives, are not stopped, the existence of our society in Santhal Pargana will be in danger,” reads a rough translation of his post on X, formerly Twitter.

“In many areas including Pakur, Rajmahal, their number has become more than that of tribals. Apart from politics, we have to make this issue a social movement, only then the existence of tribals will be saved. Only BJP seems serious on this issue and other parties are ignoring it for the sake of votes,” he added.

Earlier this month, the senior JMM leader, who briefly held the post of the Chief Minister, had claimed that he was deeply upset over the treatment he received after Hemant Soren’s return from jail.

Mr Soren said he has experienced “bitter humiliation” as Chief Minister — his government programmes were cancelled by the party leadership without his knowledge; he was barred from attending programms till a party meeting; being told at the meeting to write his resignation without any prior intimation.

“After so much humiliation, I was forced to look for an alternative path,” he wrote, outlining three options for himself.  This, he said, were to “”retire from politics, to form my own separate organization and third, if I find a companion on this path, then to travel further with him”.

The 67-year-old tribal leader had earned the nickname ‘Jharkhand’s Tiger’ for his contribution to the fight to create a separate state in the 1990s. Jharkhand was carved out of the southern part of Bihar in 2000.

Champai Soren had assumed office as the 12th Chief Minister of Jharkhand on February 2, when Hemant Soren resigned just before being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case.

Champai Soren, former Chief Minister of Jharkhand and veteran JMM leader, is set to join the BJP on Friday, announced Himanta Biswa Sarma in a late night post on X, hailing him as a “distinguished adivasi leader of the country”.

Last week, the 67-year-old leader, who had to quit as Chief Minister to make way for Hemant Soren upon his release from jail, accused party leadership of insulting him and announced that he would soon decide on his next political course.

Days after resigning, Mr Soren said he would have done more to develop the state had he had some more time.

The veteran leader – also known among party workers as the “Jharkhand Tiger” for his significant contribution to the struggle for creating Jharkhand state in the 1990s – said he would not quit politics, asserting that an option to float a new political outfit was always open to him.

Amid huge buzz about his big switcheroo, Mr Soren, two weeks ago, asserted “hum jahan par hain vahi par hain (I am where I am)”.  The same week, he arrived in Delhi, claiming he had come for personal work. 

However, the rumours refused to die down. The BJP too played coy, calling him a “senior leader” and “someone who was serving Jharkhand as a good Chief Minister”.

Earlier today, Mr Sarma, who is BJP’s election in-charge for Jharkhand that will go to the polls later this year, said “I want Champai Soren to join the BJP and strengthen us”.

The deal was finalised a few hours later. Mr Sarma posted a picture of Champai Soren meeting Amit Shah and announced the new inductee’s date of joining. 

“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,” posted Mr Sarma.

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. pic.twitter.com/OOAhpgrvmu

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) August 26, 2024

Champai Soren had taken oath as the 12th Chief Minister of Jharkhand on February 2 this year. He then resigned from the post of Chief Minister on July 3, a day before JMM executive president Hemant Soren took oath as the 13th chief minister of Jharkhand on July 4.

New Delhi:

Amid the buzz of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren mulling a move to the BJP, Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi extended a warm welcome to the JMM leader into the NDA fold, hailing him as a “tiger”.

“Champai da, you were a tiger, you are a tiger and you will remain a tiger. Welcome to the NDA family. Johar Tiger,” Mr Manjhi’s post read.

चंपाई दा आप टाईगर थें,टाईगर हैं और टाईगर ही रहेंगें।
NDA परिवार में आपका स्वागत है।
जोहार टाईगर…@ChampaiSoren

— Jitan Ram Manjhi (@jitanrmanjhi) August 18, 2024

This public endorsement from a Union Minister and chief of Hindustani Awam Morcha – a BJP ally – comes amid a swirl of speculation over Mr Soren’s next political move. The former Jharkhand Chief Minister recently voiced his dissatisfaction with his treatment during his tenure, hinting at the possibility of aligning with a new political front. Mr Soren, who had resigned from his position in early July, spoke out about the “bitter humiliation” he faced, adding fuel to the fire.

Mr Soren took office as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand in February this year following the arrest of Hemant Soren by the Enforcement Directorate in a high-profile money laundering case. His tenure as the 12th Chief Minister of Jharkhand was brief, as he resigned in July, paving the way for Hemant Soren to resume his role as the state’s leader.

Mr Soren recalled how his authority was undermined, with decisions being made without his input, including the cancellation of key government programs and meetings. The JMM leader claimed that on July 3, he was abruptly asked to resign during a legislative party meeting. Despite his surprise, Mr Soren complied without hesitation but described the experience as deeply humiliating.

In a social media post, Mr Soren recounted his long political journey, starting with his activism for workers’ rights and the Jharkhand movement. However, recent events have left him questioning his place within the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, the party he has served for decades.

जोहार साथियों,

आज समाचार देखने के बाद, आप सभी के मन में कई सवाल उमड़ रहे होंगे। आखिर ऐसा क्या हुआ, जिसने कोल्हान के एक छोटे से गांव में रहने वाले एक गरीब किसान के बेटे को इस मोड़ पर लाकर खड़ा कर दिया।

अपने सार्वजनिक जीवन की शुरुआत में औद्योगिक घरानों के खिलाफ मजदूरों की आवाज…

— Champai Soren (@ChampaiSoren) August 18, 2024

Mr Soren claimed that he was denied the opportunity to convene meetings of the legislative party. Even routine government programs, such as distributing appointment letters to teachers, were cancelled without his knowledge, he claimed. 

Reflecting on his options, Soren stated that he has three possible paths forward: retiring from politics, forming his own political organisation, or aligning with a new political partner. 

“I had three options. First to retire from politics, second to float a separate outfit, and third, if I find any ally, to carry forward with them. From that day till today, and till the upcoming Jharkhand Assembly elections, all options are open for me in this journey,” he said in a post on X.

The Jharkhand assembly elections are expected to take place later this year. In the 2019 elections, the JMM allied with the Congress and Lalu Prasad Yadav’s Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD) and won with a comfortable majority of 47 in the 81-member house.