Former Jharkhand chief minister Champai Soren on Wednesday announced the floating of a new party, indicating that he would not be defecting to the BJP in the near future.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday afternoon at his village in Seraikela, Champai said that he would form a new outfit.
“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. The chapter has closed, I may form a new outfit,” Champai told reporters.
However, senior JMM leaders consider the announcement a "face-saving" move and a bid to split tribal votes in favour of the BJP in the Assembly polls.
“Hemantda (Hemant Soren) had sniffed the plot and had been briefed by senior police intelligence officials soon after getting bail and becoming the chief minister (July 4) about the meeting between Champai Soren and Himanta Biswa Sarma (Assam chief minister) before the recent Lok Sabha polls. Hemantda had used some of the trusted Kolhan JMM MLAs to be close to Champaida to give an impression that they would defect to BJP,” said a senior Ranchi-based JMM leader, who is a member of the party central committee.
“These MLAs were regularly briefing Hemant Da about the move of Champaida. The plan was hatched in Calcutta and the MLAs were supposed to fly to Delhi after Champai Soren. But it did not happen. Champaida, who had assured the BJP top brass about having the support of half-a-dozen MLAs, could not parade them. BJP top brass knew that taking Champai Soren alone would lead to internal wrangling within the party, especially among tribal leaders like former Union minister Arjun Munda, state president Babulal Marandi faction,” added the leader.
Several Kolhan JMM MLAs had issued a public letter on Sunday that they are with the JMM and are not going to switch over to any other party.
“Ideally, Champaida should have tendered his resignation from the party and from the cabinet minister portfolio by now as a self-respecting political leader. But all his moves are being dictated by BJP leaders in Delhi. His new political party’s only objective is to split the tribal votes and in the process help BJP in the Assembly polls in Kolhan,” the leader claimed.
