Champai Soren rules out quitting politics, hints at forming new party

Champai Soren. Pic/PTI

Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren has claimed that he will not leave politics and is considering launching a new political party. Soren, a decades-long member of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), declared his intentions following what he characterised as "humiliation" from JMM leaders.

Speaking from his native hamlet of Jhilingora in the Seraikela-Kharsawan area, Soren expressed displeasure that no one from JMM had contacted him. He spoke about his long struggle for a separate Jharkhand state under the leadership of JMM supremo Shibu Soren, reported PTI.

Soren, 67, is also known as "Jharkhand's Tiger" for his role in the struggle that resulted in the state's formation in 2000, the news agency report added.

He told PTI, "It is a new chapter of my life. I won't quit politics as I have received lots of love and support from my followers. I had mentioned three options - quitting politics, organisation or friend. I will not quit politics. The chapter (of quitting politics) has closed, I may form a new outfit."

"No one from JMM contacted me. This is the land of Jharkhand...I have struggled since my student life. I participated in the agitation for a separate Jharkhand state under the leadership of party supremo Shibu Soren," Champai Soren said.

"I will strengthen the party, a new party and if I meet a good friend on the way, then I will move ahead with the friend...", he said, alluding to a post he made on X (previously Twitter) on August 18.

According to the report, Soren's statements about the "bitter humiliation" he faced during his term as chief minister have fuelled rumours that he may join the BJP. He said that all of his government programs planned for the first week of July were abruptly cancelled by the party leadership without his knowledge, forcing him to seek another course, the report added.

"After so much humiliation, I was forced to look for an alternative path," Champai Soren said.

"When I enquired about the reasons for cancellation, I was informed that there was a meeting of party legislators on July 3 and that I could not attend any government programme until then. Can there be anything more humiliating in a democracy than having a chief minister's programme cancelled by another person," he, per the PTI report, questioned.

"During the (July 3) meeting, I was asked to resign. I was taken aback. Since I had no desire for power, I resigned immediately. However, my self-respect was deeply hurt," Soren had added.