Jharkhand: Former CM Champai Soren files nomination from Saraikela, says JMM-Congress stands nowhere in upcoming polls

RANCHI: Months after tendering his resignation from the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) alleging that he was humiliated in the party he worked so hard for, former Chief Minister of Jharkhand, Champai Soren on Friday, October 25 filed his nomination from Saraikela constituency as a Bharatiya Janata Party candidate (BJP).

The tribal leader who is considered a tall figure in Kolhan after filing his papers come down heavily on the JMM-Congress alliance, claiming that the alliance has no existence in Jharkhand and that they don’t stand anywhere in the upcoming assembly polls.

“Not only in Jharkhand but there is a BJP wave across the country. Nobody will be able to stop this wave. Alliance with Congress has no existence in Jharkhand and they stand no where in these elections,” said the leader from Kolhan.

Soren’s nomination has arrived a day after the JMM announced Ganesh Mehli as its candidate from the Saraikela constituency, one of the high-profile seat of the state on Thursday, October 24.

आज सरायकेला विधानसभा से भाजपा प्रत्याशी के तौर पर नामांकन किया। भारी बारिश के बीच नामांकन के दौरान जनता का उत्साह दिल को छू गया।

आप सभी से अनुरोध है कि कमल के निशान पर वोट देकर, झारखंड में सत्ता परिवर्तन का मार्ग प्रशस्त कीजिए।

जय झारखंड ! pic.twitter.com/7W0b5WQsGP

— Champai Soren (@ChampaiSoren) October 25, 2024

Champai Soren resigned from the prime membership of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) along with the other portfolios held by him as a minister in the Hemant Soren led state government in August this year.

The development took place months after the senior leader was asked to vacate the post of Chief Minister, a position given to him after Enforcement Directorate arrested the incumbent Chief Minister Hemant Soren on charges of his alleged involvement in a money laundering case in January.

Considered as one of the heavyweights of JMM in the state, Champai Soren later made startling revelations, claiming that he was humiliated and was even not informed about his removal from the post prior to the meeting of MLA group.

Chamapi’s allegation led to a major political upheaval in the state’s political galleries with many opposition leaders coming down heavily on JMM for adhering to parivarvaad (nepotism) and insulting a popular tribal leader like Champai Soren.

Champai joins the BJP camp in a program held at the BJP’s state headquarters in capital city of Ranchi on August 30, boosting the latter’s chances in the tribal dominated Kolhan and adjacent areas in the assembly polls.

Impact on tribal votes

It is noteworthy that the state of Jharkhand has a significant population of tribal community which constitutes an overall share of around 26 per cent in state’s population. Further the support of community is considered crucial in winning elections in three out of the five administrative divisions of the state i.e. the Santhal, Kolhan and South Chota Nagpur divisions.

Here Kolhan and South Chota Nagpur has a predominant tribal population where Champai’s role could be crucial in winning the lion share of tribal votes, given his long association with the Saraikela assembly seat of the Kolhan division.

Read the full report here: – How Champai Soren’s exit could impact JMM on tribal reserved seats in assembly polls……

Further the presence of the seven-time legislator could also boost the BJP’s chances in Santhal division which has around 28 per cent of tribal population and 7 out of the overall 28 Scheduled Tribes (ST) reserved seats of the state.

Notably, the issue of illegal infiltration in the region has been at the centre of the election campaign being run by the BJP who has been long accusing the incumbent government for ignoring the dwindling of tribal population in Santhal Pargana caused by illegal infiltration of Bangladeshi nationals.