NEW DELHI: Former Jharkhand chief minister Champai Soren on Wednesday resigned from the primary membership and all posts of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM).
"Today I resigned from the primary membership and all posts of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha. Our struggle will continue on the issues of tribals, natives, Dalits, backward people and common people of Jharkhand," he said in a post on X.
Soren had met home minister Amit Shah in New Delhi earlier this week and had announced he would be joining the saffron party. "My decision (to join BJP) is in the interest of Jharkhand... I am used to struggles," Soren said.
The former CM will join the BJP on August 30.
Under surveillance
Asked about the allegation that he is under "surveillance", the former CM said he is not afraid of any situation
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday accused the Jharkhand government of spying on its minister and former chief minister Champai Soren, who is set to join the BJP later this week.
Sarma, who is incharge of Jharkhand BJP, claimed that two sub-inspectors (SIs) of Special Branch of Jharkhand Police were tracking Champai Soren's movements in Delhi and were caught by the ex-chief minister's men and handed over to the Delhi Police.
News agency PTI, quoting sources, said the two Jharkhand cops were picked up from the hotel and questioned by a team of Delhi Police. The two police officers were allowed to go after questioning. The two said that they had come to Delhi on routine duty. Sarma also expressed apprehensions about Champai Soren's phone being tapped.
Soren, when asked about "surveillance" by Jharkhand government, said he is not afraid of any situation. "I am used to struggles," Soren said and indicated that he will resign from JMM and as a minister later today.
The former Jharkhand chief minister, who will join the BJP on August 30 in Jharkhand capital Ranchi, said he had taken the decision to join the saffron party to save tribal identity and existence, which is at stake in the state's Santhal Pargana region due to “rampant” infiltration from Bangladesh.
'Even before talks with BJP'
"We all know that Champai Soren is a minister in the Jharkhand government, he is also an ex-chief minister. He has decided to join BJP on August 30, but he is yet to resign and remains a minister…but his own government has put him under surveillance," Sarma claimed at a press conference here.
"Soren had been put under surveillance five months ago, even before he was in talks with the BJP," the Assam CM claimed.
He claimed the two SIs had been following Soren on his Delhi trips, taking the same flight and staying in the same five-star hotel as the minister.
"Champai Soren's people spotted these two persons at the Delhi hotel on Tuesday and nabbed them. Initially, they claimed to be journalists but later admitted to be Special Branch SIs. They were handed over to Chanakyapuri Police Station there and Soren has also filed an FIR," Sarma said.
Champai's grudge
The senior JMM leader, who briefly held the chief minister's post after Hemant Soren's resignation, said only the saffron party seems serious over the issue of tribals, while others are indulging in vote bank politics.
Champai was sworn in as 12th chief minister of Jharkhand on February 2 after Hemant Soren was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a money-laundering case. The party had then chosen him over Hemant's wife Kalpana Soren to lead the Jharkhand government. However, the bonhomie was short-lived. Less than a week after Hemant Soren was released on bail on June 28, Champai had to step down to make way for his predecessor.
The senior JMM leader has claimed that he was insulted and humiliated by the party and was forced to choose an alternative path for himself. Champai had taken to social media on August 18 to share details of how he was marginalised within the party and abruptly asked to resign as chief minister. Champai also alleged that all his government programmes in the first week of July, when he was the chief minister, were abruptly cancelled by the party leadership without his knowledge.
Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, Location Guesser and Mini Crossword.