Two statements — one made by Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and another by Champai Soren — on Saturday scotched the “rumours” of the former Jharkhand chief minister defecting to the BJP ahead of the Assembly polls in the state.

Sarma, who is also the BJP’s co-in-charge for the Jharkhand Assembly election, while speaking to the media on his arrival at the Deoghar airport on Saturday said: “I do not want to make any loose comment on Champai Soren (joining the BJP). He is neither in touch with me nor with the party.”

Speaking to a national news channel in Ranchi on Saturday, Champai also said: “I do not know what rumours are being spread. I do not know what news is being run, so I cannot tell you whether it is true or not. I do not know anything about it. Hum jahan par hain vahi par hain (I am where I was).”

Sarma, however, praised the tenure of Champai as chief minister.

“Under Hemant Soren, there is only a policy of appeasement of ghuspetiyes (word used by the BJP leaders for Muslim Bangladeshi infiltrators). However, some good work was done during the tenure of Champai Soren. Hemant Soren only talks about maiya samman (a scheme recently launched by Hemant Soren providing monthly financial assistance of ₹1,000 to every woman between 21 and 50 years) by giving only ₹1,000,” said Sarma.

Champai, who holds the higher and technical education department and the water resources department, had maintained silence on Friday on the speculations of his joining the BJP and parried away such questions while inaugurating an underground lift irrigation project at Kharkai barrage in his home constituency Seraikela.

Champai served as the chief minister of Jharkhand between February 2 and July 3 after Hemant Soren was forced to resign as chief minister on January 31 before being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate over an alleged money laundering charge in a land scam case and sent to judicial custody in Ranchi Central Jail.