Ahead of Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s visit to promote Mukhyamantri Maiya Samman Yojana in Saraikela on August 28, Saraikela is witnessing a high political agenda.

In the run-up to the Assembly elections in Jharkhand, former Chief Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader Champai Soren has gained weight following the entry of Sonaram Bodra in his camp. 

Both Champai and Sonaram Bodra hail from Saraikela, the nerve center of the Kolhan region having district headquarters in Chaibasa in West Singhbhul, a tribal zone in Jharkhand. 

The JMM leader and CM Hemant Soren are expected to attend a public meeting in Saraikela on Tuesday. None of the JMM MLAs has spoken in favour of the rebel Champai Soren till now.

However, many panchayat, block, and Zila parishad leaders have come out in support of Champai. Bodra who is the Chairman of the Saraikela- Kharsawan Zila Parishad, a popular Adivasi leader in the Kolhan belt of West Singhbhum who belongs to the JMM, was spotted greeting Champai Soren in Saraikela last Friday. 

On June 13, 2022, Bodra had won the Urban Body (Zila Parishad) post of President by securing 13 votes against 4 votes secured by his rival Amit Singh. This was a huge margin of 9 votes. 

Apart from Bodra, Champai Soren is reportedly being supported by his JMM followers including Gamharia block area leader Subhash Mahto, JMM district member Laxman Mahto, Diku Sandil, Karali Deshmukh and other members of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha. 

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On Monday Champai Soren, after being supported by a section of the above JMM leaders in Saraikela on Saturday and at Bahragora on Sunday went to Kolkata via Khadagpur.

He was accompanied by his two sons- Babulal Soren and Wakil Soren. Also, Dharmendra Goswami who was former CM Champai Soren’s Press Adviser and who reportedly was considered his “ representative” linked with BJP, was always moving with him. 

At Delhi, Champai Soren is likely to make two announcements on Tuesday. One quit the JMM and the post of Minister. Two, whether or not he and his two sons join BJP.

The buzz of joining the BJP got stronger when he removed the JMM leader tag from X and several of his billboards, each carrying his full-size picture in saffron colour in Sarikela last week. 

Earlier on August 18, 2024, he had landed at the national capital and despite repeated questions about joining the BJP, he had stuck to a line answer of visiting Delhi for “personal work”.

This time, Champai Soren is expected to quit JMM and the post of Minister from the nation’s capital, it is learnt.

Before going to Delhi for the first time, Champai Soren had a closed-door meeting with Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari in Kolkata on Saturday (August 17, 2024). 

From Kolkata, he landed at the Delhi airport on August 18, 2024, where journalists asked him about joining the BJP. Back in Saraikela, a group of JMM MLAs and the district administration officials were learnt to be busy to welcome the CM Hemant Soren.