Former chief minister Champai Soren on Wednesday resigned from the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, claiming that the JMM’s “present style of functioning and policies” forced him to leave the party he served for many years. 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,” 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 and its policies. “I have never ever imagined in my dreams that I would quit JMM, a party which is like a family to me… The turn of events of the past forced me to take this decision with much pain…I am pained to say that the party has deviated from its principle,” he said in the letter. Champai Soren became the chief minister of Jharkhand on February 2, shortly after Hemant Soren resigned as the CM shortly before being arrested by the ED in a money laundering case. Champai quit the post and Hemant took oath as the CM again in July, after he was released on bail.
He lamented that there is no forum in the party left to express one’s pain and “you (Shibu Soren) are not active in politics due to ill health but you will continue to be my guide…”. Soren, who met Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi earlier this week and announced joining the saffron party, reached Ranchi on Wednesday along with his son and was greeted by a large number of supporters. “My decision (to join BJP) is in the interest of Jharkhand… I am used to struggles,” Soren said. Asked about the allegation that he is under “surveillance”, the former CM said he is not afraid of any situation and indicated that he will resign from JMM and as minister later on Wednesday. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma earlier in the day alleged that Champai Soren had been under surveillance of his own government’s police for the last five months.
