Former Jharkhand chief minister Champai Soren arrived in Delhi on Sunday and wrote an open letter implying an intention to quit the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, amid speculation about his joining the BJP ahead of Assembly polls in his state.
In the letter, posted in Hindi on his X account late on Sunday afternoon, Champai claimed he had had to swallow “bitter insult” from his party and listed three options before him: retiring, starting a new party or joining another party.
Sources in the BJP said Champai was engaged in backroom negotiations with them to finalise the terms of his defection, and was likely to join their party soon.
Champai, 67, was appointed chief minister days after incumbent Hemant Soren’s arrest in a money-laundering case on January 31, but had to relinquish the post days after Hemant was freed on bail on June 28.
Now a cabinet minister in Hemant’s government, Champai is believed to have arrived in Delhi with about a half-dozen MLAs of the JMM who are loyal to him. He is apparently using them as a bargaining chip to be projected as the BJP’s chief ministerial face in the Assembly elections, expected later this year.
In his letter, Champai claimed that on July 3 — days after Hemant was granted bail — all his scheduled events as chief minister were cancelled by the party leadership without explanation.
“When I asked about the reasons for the cancellation, I was told that a meeting of the legislative party was scheduled for July 3 and I cannot attend any programme as chief minister till then,” he wrote.
“Can there be anything more humiliating in a democracy than someone else getting the programmes of a chief minister cancelled?”
He went on to underline his pain, appearing to be making out a case for leaving the party.
“For two days, I sat quietly and introspected, kept looking for my mistake in the entire incident. I did not have the greed for power even a bit, but to whom could I show this blow to my self-respect? Where could I express the pain caused by my own people?” Champai said.
“The chief minister has the right to call a meeting of the legislative party, but I was not even told the agenda of the meeting. During the meeting, I was asked to resign. I was surprised but I had no desire for power, so I immediately resigned, but my heart was emotional because of the injury to my self-respect.”
Champai arrived in Delhi on Sunday morning and denied reports that he was about to leave the JMM, stressing that he was in the capital on personal business.
“I have come here for personal work. My daughter stays here and I have come to meet her,” he told reporters at Delhi airport. “Abhi hum jahan par hain, wahi par hain (Presently, I remain where I am).”
Champai had only a day ago rubbished speculation that he planned to travel to Delhi.
BJP managers in Jharkhand had been in touch with Champai since he was forced to quit as chief minister, egging him on to defect along with party MLAs loyal to him.
The BJP has been worried about losing the support of tribal voters after it was defeated at all the five seats reserved for the Scheduled Tribes in Jharkhand during the Lok Sabha polls. The party hopes that leaders like Champai can give it the push it needs to garner tribal votes in the Assembly polls.
BJP insiders said the party leadership was not too keen on making Champai the candidate for chief minister but had promised him a key position if the BJP won the state back.
The JMM-led ruling alliance currently has 45 seats in a House of 76, which means that losing six or seven MLAs will not threaten its majority, so long as they are disqualified under the anti-defection law.
JMM sources suggested that joining the BJP would be “suicidal” for Champai.
“If Champaida joins the BJP, it will be suicidal for him. The BJP leaders who have been fighting against him in Seraikela and nearby areas will not accept this para-trooping just a few months before polls,” a JMM leader said.