New Delhi:

Amid the buzz of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren mulling a move to the BJP, Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi extended a warm welcome to the JMM leader into the NDA fold, hailing him as a “tiger”.

“Champai da, you were a tiger, you are a tiger and you will remain a tiger. Welcome to the NDA family. Johar Tiger,” Mr Manjhi’s post read.

चंपाई दा आप टाईगर थें,टाईगर हैं और टाईगर ही रहेंगें।
NDA परिवार में आपका स्वागत है।
जोहार टाईगर…@ChampaiSoren

— Jitan Ram Manjhi (@jitanrmanjhi) August 18, 2024

This public endorsement from a Union Minister and chief of Hindustani Awam Morcha – a BJP ally – comes amid a swirl of speculation over Mr Soren’s next political move. The former Jharkhand Chief Minister recently voiced his dissatisfaction with his treatment during his tenure, hinting at the possibility of aligning with a new political front. Mr Soren, who had resigned from his position in early July, spoke out about the “bitter humiliation” he faced, adding fuel to the fire.

Mr Soren took office as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand in February this year following the arrest of Hemant Soren by the Enforcement Directorate in a high-profile money laundering case. His tenure as the 12th Chief Minister of Jharkhand was brief, as he resigned in July, paving the way for Hemant Soren to resume his role as the state’s leader.

Mr Soren recalled how his authority was undermined, with decisions being made without his input, including the cancellation of key government programs and meetings. The JMM leader claimed that on July 3, he was abruptly asked to resign during a legislative party meeting. Despite his surprise, Mr Soren complied without hesitation but described the experience as deeply humiliating.

In a social media post, Mr Soren recounted his long political journey, starting with his activism for workers’ rights and the Jharkhand movement. However, recent events have left him questioning his place within the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, the party he has served for decades.

जोहार साथियों,

आज समाचार देखने के बाद, आप सभी के मन में कई सवाल उमड़ रहे होंगे। आखिर ऐसा क्या हुआ, जिसने कोल्हान के एक छोटे से गांव में रहने वाले एक गरीब किसान के बेटे को इस मोड़ पर लाकर खड़ा कर दिया।

अपने सार्वजनिक जीवन की शुरुआत में औद्योगिक घरानों के खिलाफ मजदूरों की आवाज…

— Champai Soren (@ChampaiSoren) August 18, 2024

Mr Soren claimed that he was denied the opportunity to convene meetings of the legislative party. Even routine government programs, such as distributing appointment letters to teachers, were cancelled without his knowledge, he claimed. 

Reflecting on his options, Soren stated that he has three possible paths forward: retiring from politics, forming his own political organisation, or aligning with a new political partner. 

“I had three options. First to retire from politics, second to float a separate outfit, and third, if I find any ally, to carry forward with them. From that day till today, and till the upcoming Jharkhand Assembly elections, all options are open for me in this journey,” he said in a post on X.

The Jharkhand assembly elections are expected to take place later this year. In the 2019 elections, the JMM allied with the Congress and Lalu Prasad Yadav’s Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD) and won with a comfortable majority of 47 in the 81-member house.