Jharkhand Elections: Future of Former CM Champai Soren Uncertain

As the state of Jharkhand gears up for elections at the end of the year, political activities are intensifying. There is much speculation about the future of former Chief Minister Champai Soren, who stepped in when Hemant Soren was arrested over an alleged land scam.

Comments from Key Leaders

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is the election co-incharge for the BJP, stated, "No one is in touch with us yet. I am also hearing these reports from the channels. Champai Soren is a very senior leader, I do not want to make any informal comment about him." He later added on social media, "If any work was done in the 5 years of JMM-Cong in Jharkhand, it was done only during the 6 months of Champai Soren's tenure. Now Champai ji's photo has disappeared from every advertisement."

Former Jharkhand BJP President and Rajya Sabha MP Deepak Prakash also weighed in, saying, "I have heard this in reports only. I don't have any authentic information... He (Champai Soren) was serving Jharkhand as a good CM... Everything depends on the central leadership." He further expressed that the removal of Champai Soren from the Chief Minister position was unfortunate and a setback.

Background

Champai Soren took oath as the 12th Chief Minister of Jharkhand on February 2 this year and resigned on July 3, a day before Hemant Soren took oath as the 13th Chief Minister on July 4. In the 2019 assembly elections, the JMM, in alliance with Congress and RJD, secured a comfortable majority with forty-seven seats in the 81-member house.

BJP's Election Strategy

Last week, the BJP held a meeting with all its district heads to discuss election strategies. The meeting was attended virtually by election in-charge and Union Minister Shivraj Chauhan, while Himanta Sarma and state BJP President Babulal Marandi attended in Ranchi.