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Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren’s exit from the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) follows a familiar pattern. He was the trusted lieutenant who was hand-picked by party supremo Hemant Soren to be his placeholder in his absence. That act of high trust, or political gamble, soon deteriorated into a mismatch of expectations of loyalty and rewards from both sides. Champai has been a veteran of tribal mobilisation in Jharkhand and has played second fiddle to Shibu Soren and his son Hemant Soren, the former and current Chief Ministers of the State, respectively, all his life. When Hemant resigned as the Chief Minister on January 31, 2024, minutes before he was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on charges of corruption, Champai took over the reins. It was a bold and decent move on the part of Hemant to choose a party veteran instead of a family member, as it usually happens in such situations, but, perhaps, it was too good to last. As soon as he was released on bail in June by the High Court, after spending nearly five months in jail, Hemant wanted to be back in the saddle. Champai’s removal turned out to be abrupt, and he found it humiliating. He had wielded power as the chief executive for the first time and expected to be treated more respectfully by his leader.
The JMM, like most parties in India, is controlled by one leader or family, and there is little room for the separate ambitions of individual leaders. Champai himself has played that game for a long time, but after being the Chief Minister, he thought a tipping point had been reached. External factors too may have played a role in his decision. While Champai cried of “bitter humiliation” by Hemant, Hemant insinuated that Champai was being lured by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The BJP is pushing hard for a political return in Jharkhand where elections are due soon. Its strategy is to fragment the tribal vote and consolidate the non-tribal vote in its favour while inciting resentment among the tribal communities against Muslims. To this end, the BJP is arguing that in its absence, the State has undergone unchecked changes in its demography. And, as a counter, the JMM has questioned the BJP’s intent in delaying the 2021 Census, further putting the onus of checking “infiltrators” squarely on the Centre. Champai has not completely revealed his plans — he might float a party of his own or join the BJP. Either way, his role in the Assembly polls will likely work to the advantage of the BJP.
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Soren vs Soren: On Jharkhand politics
