NEW DELHI: Former Jharkhand chief minister andJMMleaderChampai Sorenwill join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on August 30 in Ranchi, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said. Himanta shared a picture of Soren meeting with Union home ministerAmit Shah."Former chief minister of Jharkhand and a distinguished Adivasi leader of our country, Champai Soren Ji met Hon'ble Union Home MinisterAmitShah Ji a short while ago.He will officially join the BJP on 30th August in Ranchi," Himanta said in his post on 'X'.Champai Soren briefly served as Jharkhand's 12th chief minister, taking office on February 2 afterHemant Sorenwas arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a money-laundering case. The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) had chosen Champai over Hemant's wife, Kalpana Soren, to lead the state. However, his tenure was short-lived, as he stepped down less than a week after Hemant Soren was released on bail on June 28.On August 18, feeling sidelined within his party, Champai Soren publicly expressed his dissatisfaction. He shared on social media how he was marginalized within the JMM and was abruptly asked to resign as chief minister. He also alleged that all his government programs scheduled in early July were canceled without his knowledge."After so much insult and contempt, I was forced to look for an alternative path. With a heavy heart, I said in a meeting of the legislative party that - 'A new chapter of my life is going to start from today'. I had three options in this. First, to retire from politics, second, to form my own separate organisation and third, if I find a companion on this path, then to travel further with him. From that day till today, and till the upcoming Jharkhand Assembly elections, all options are open for me in this journey," Champai Soren had said in a post on X.
