Champaign Soren on his way to Delhi amid big defection rumours: Sources
Despite the growing buzz, Champaign Soren rubbished the speculation.
New Delhi:
Former Jharkhand Chief Minister and senior Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader Champai Soren is on his way to Delhi, sources said, amid rumors of a possible switch to the BJP. The visit has sparked a flurry of political activity in the capital with rumors of his possible defection ahead of the Jharkhand assembly elections due this year.
According to sources, the former Chief Minister of Jharkhand met BJP leader Subvendu Adhikari in Kolkata yesterday. Mr. Soren is accompanied by four other JMM leaders on the tour of the national capital.
Despite the growing buzz, Mr Soren has publicly dismissed the speculation. “I know nothing about such speculations and reports… I am where I am,” he said on Saturday.
Mr. Soren took charge as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand in February this year after Hemant Soren was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a high-profile money laundering case. His tenure as Jharkhand’s 12th chief minister was short-lived, as he resigned in July, paving the way for Hemant Soren to resume his role as the state’s leader.
The timing of Mr Soren’s visit to Delhi has fueled speculation, especially as he is set to meet BJP leaders during his stay. This development comes after his recent meeting with former JMM MLA Lobin Hembram, who is also said to be in touch with BJP leaders. However, Mr Soren played down the significance of the meeting, describing it as a routine discussion. Mr. Hembram was recently disqualified as a JMM MLA under the Anti-Defection Act.
The BJP recently held meetings with key leaders including Jharkhand district chief and Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sharma and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. However, when asked about the possibility of Mr. Soren joining the BJP, Mr. Sarma refrained from making any specific statements. “Nobody is contacting us yet. I am also hearing these reports from channels. Champai Soren is a very senior leader, I don’t want to make any informal comments about him,” he said.
Former Jharkhand BJP president and Rajya Sabha MP Deepak Prakash echoed similar sentiments, saying the decision to include Mr Soren in the party would rest with the central leadership. “I heard it only in reports. I don’t have any authentic information… He was serving Jharkhand as a good chief minister… Everything depends on the central leadership,” he said.
