NEW DELHI: The entry of Champai Soren into BJP is likely to help it counter Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren‘s attempt to polarise tribals against the party in the coming assembly polls.
Although BJP boasts of two former tribal CMs Babulal Marandi and Arjun Munda in its ranks, they never got much traction in the ST-dominated Kolhan region which has a history of producing local heroes and standing by them.Even Sibu Soren, founder of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and father of CM Hemant Soren, had to contend with the tenacious appeal of locals like Bagun Sambrai, Nirmal Mahto and Shailendra Mahto.
Champai, Tiger of Kolhan to his supporters, is part of the trend, having carved out a loyal constituency because of his espousal of local causes, particularly his role in getting the youth jobs with TISCO and other enterprises in the area.
BJP hopes to benefit from the association. It needs the boost considering that it drew a blank in the 14 seats in the Kolhan region in 2019 as well as in light of the success of Hemant Soren in turning his arrest by ED into a case of injustice to tribals in the Lok Sabha elections which saw the saffron party losing all the five seats reserved for tribals.
Some of the BJP insiders went to the extent of saying Champai’s joining is set to fetch the party at least eight to 10 seats in Kolhan, brightening its prospects in the state polls this year.
Party sources said Soren is joining the party unconditionally, but they acknowledge his key role in the selection of candidates, especially in the Kolhan region, as he will also bring with him the legacy of JMM which he was associated with since the statehood agitation days, being one of the most trusted aides of party patriarch Sibu Soren.
Even the JMM leadership seems to be worried about his imminent departure as the party has not taken action against Champai, who earlier expressed outrage over the JMM leadership, accusing it of humiliating him and forcing him to quit as chief minister unceremoniously.
Although BJP boasts of two former tribal CMs Babulal Marandi and Arjun Munda in its ranks, they never got much traction in the ST-dominated Kolhan region which has a history of producing local heroes and standing by them.Even Sibu Soren, founder of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and father of CM Hemant Soren, had to contend with the tenacious appeal of locals like Bagun Sambrai, Nirmal Mahto and Shailendra Mahto.
Champai, Tiger of Kolhan to his supporters, is part of the trend, having carved out a loyal constituency because of his espousal of local causes, particularly his role in getting the youth jobs with TISCO and other enterprises in the area.
BJP hopes to benefit from the association. It needs the boost considering that it drew a blank in the 14 seats in the Kolhan region in 2019 as well as in light of the success of Hemant Soren in turning his arrest by ED into a case of injustice to tribals in the Lok Sabha elections which saw the saffron party losing all the five seats reserved for tribals.
Some of the BJP insiders went to the extent of saying Champai’s joining is set to fetch the party at least eight to 10 seats in Kolhan, brightening its prospects in the state polls this year.
Party sources said Soren is joining the party unconditionally, but they acknowledge his key role in the selection of candidates, especially in the Kolhan region, as he will also bring with him the legacy of JMM which he was associated with since the statehood agitation days, being one of the most trusted aides of party patriarch Sibu Soren.
Even the JMM leadership seems to be worried about his imminent departure as the party has not taken action against Champai, who earlier expressed outrage over the JMM leadership, accusing it of humiliating him and forcing him to quit as chief minister unceremoniously.