The fate of ‘Kolhan Tiger' Champai Soren hangs in balance as polling begins and his rival of the JMM candidate Ganesh Mahali is leaving no stone untouched to defeat him from Sareikel.
Champai, Saraikela is one of 43 constituencies of Jharkhand's 81-member Assembly where polling in the first phase has commenced today, with voters allowed to cast their ballots between 7 am to 5 pm in 15 districts of the tribal state.
Former Chief Minister and now a BJP candidate, Champai Soren, is contesting the Seraikela seat in Jharkhand, which he has held since 2005. After Hemant Soren's arrest in January 2024, Champai assumed the Chief Minister's role.
He is now facing Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) candidate Ganesh Mahali. Champai Soren, 67, who was then a part of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), served as the Chief Minister of the state for five months from February to July, when Hemant Soren was jailed in a land grab case.
However, he quit the party in August, alleging that he was being humiliated by the JMM. He joined the BJP just days after quitting the JMM in August. He had also expressed deep disappointment with the JMM's "current style of functioning and policies".
Champai Soren, who had fought for a separate tribal state, felt that the JMM had strayed from its original principles and ideals. He had also said that he felt insulted within the party for raising his voice against Bangaldeshi infiltration.
Champai Soren also claimed that he was under surveillance by the JMM government, which he led for five months after Hemant Soren was jailed. While campaigning for Champai Soren in Sareikela on Monday, Home Minister Amit Shah further claimed that Champai was forced to resign as Jharkhand Chief Minister for speaking about infiltration and tribal rights.
“Today the whole of Jharkhand and especially the tribal areas are troubled by infiltration. When our Champai Soren raised the issue of infiltration, Hemant Babu said, you should leave the post of Chief Minister," Shah said.
Champai Soren had won from the Sareikela constituency in 2019 as part of the JMM for the fourth consecutive time, since the first Assembly elections in Jharkhand in 2005.
But now, with him shifting to the BJP, it will be interesting to see if he can manage to continue his feat.
Polling for the Assembly elections will take place in two phases in Jharkhand on November 13 and November 20. The counting of votes will take place on November 23.