Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren, a long-time leader of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), has officially joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The move comes just days after his resignation as an MLA and a minister in the Jharkhand state government.

Mr Soren, accompanied by a large group of his supporters, was welcomed into the BJP in Ranchi by senior party figures including Babulal Marandi, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and Himanta Biswa Sarma.

 Resignation From JMM

Two days prior to joining the BJP, Mr Soren resigned from both his MLA position and his ministerial role in the Jharkhand Cabinet. He addressed a letter to JMM Chief Shibu Soren, expressing his disappointment with the current direction and policies of the JMM. “My decision to join the BJP is in the best interest of Jharkhand,” he stated, citing his dissatisfaction with the party’s deviation from its original principles.

 A Painful Departure

In his resignation letter, Mr. Soren expressed deep sorrow over leaving the JMM, a party he considered his family. “I never imagined in my wildest dreams that I would leave the JMM,” he wrote, adding that the events of the past few months left him with no choice but to make this difficult decision.

Political Background And Recent Developments

Champai Soren briefly served as the 12th Chief Minister of Jharkhand, taking office on February 2, but resigned from the position on July 3, a day before Hemant Soren, the JMM executive president, was sworn in as the 13th Chief Minister. Recently, Mr Soren expressed frustration over his treatment following Hemant Soren’s return from jail, further fueling his decision to leave the JMM.