Champai Soren did not retire, and he also told the reason. He did not form his own party, and instead of telling the reason, he started explaining the benefits of joining BJP. This step is beneficial, for Champai Soren as well as for BJP – but every benefit has some disadvantages, and this case is also similar.
Champai Soren, famously known as Kolhan Tiger, would not have left Jharkhand Mukti Morcha just like that. Similarly, there is a special reason for BJP to take Champai Soren along. Champai Soren joining BJP is a profitable deal.
If BJP is able to cause even a little damage to Hemant Soren in Jharkhand due to Champai Soren, then that is also an advantage, and if due to Champai Soren, BJP is able to perform better than Hemant Soren’s party JMM in Kolhan region, if not Santhal-Pargana, then what can be said – but this is the thing that can also create problems for Jharkhand BJP President Babulal Marandi and the state’s powerful tribal BJP leader Arjun Munda.
What will Champai get in return from BJP? And what will he have to do?
Including Champai Soren, Jharkhand BJP will have three former chief ministers. Obviously, on the basis of their electoral performance, all three can be contenders for the post again, unless the BJP leadership finds a new face like in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
It is up to the BJP leadership to decide whether to adopt Eknath Shinde’s strategy regarding Champai Soren, or to treat Babulal Marandi like Shivraj Singh Chauhan. However, in this case, the BJP has already presented the example of Prem Kumar Dhumal and Pushkar Singh Dhami.
Champai Soren has been one of the founding members of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, and in the party, Hemant Soren and Kalpana Soren have also given him the same respect as Shibu Soren, and in return he has been getting the same love and affection. It is a different matter that all this does not matter now.
The question is whether BJP will shower Champai Soren with everything as soon as he arrives, or will it observe, test him, try him at different places and wait for the results. Before the 2015 Bihar elections, BJP had found a pawn in the form of Jitan Ram Manjhi. BJP made full use of Jitan Ram Manjhi before the elections, but he failed to deliver results. As soon as he failed, all the hospitality stopped. However, it does not seem so about Champai Soren.
Champai Soren is considered to have a huge support base in areas like Saraikela-Kharsawan, West Singhbhum, Ghatshila, Potka, Ichagarh and Baharagora. It is possible that BJP is also assuming that they can change the results on their own. If we look at it, the margin of victory and defeat in these areas has also been very less.
This is possible and impossible. It is difficult. There are mixed examples of a leader’s popularity remaining the same even after leaving his old party. The organisational capability of the leader also matters in such cases. Now, not everyone can be VP Singh. BJP has already tried Mukul Roy and Shubhendu Adhikari in West Bengal.
Himanta Biswa Sarma has become an example in BJP, and he seems to have played a special role in bringing Champai Soren to BJP. Himanta Biswa Sarma not only became the Chief Minister in BJP after coming from outside, but now as a staunch Hindu leader, he has started competing with UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Among such helpers of BJP, leaders like Jyotiraditya Scindia are also included before Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar.
Marandi and Munda will not do ‘Mann Ki Baat’ in public
Babulal Marandi has come to Delhi during this time and met Prime Minister Narendra Modi. After meeting Babulal Marandi told the media, we have met Prime Minister Modi… I talked to him about the current political situation in the state. Regarding Champai Soren, he said, this will benefit the party… First the talks were held at the state level, then the talks were held here… We all had talked before Champai Soren joined the party.
Champai Soren had visited Delhi when he was a JMM leader and a minister in the Jharkhand government, but after returning he was talking about forming his own party. The talk of joining BJP happened after that. However, Hemant Soren has found an alternative to Champai Soren according to his own convenience, and has sworn in Ramdas Soren as a minister in his place.
Some time has been taken between the decision to form his own party and going with the BJP, and the reason for that is also being considered. You will remember that when Babulal Marandi was first asked about Champai Soren joining the BJP, he said that he had no information about it. It is believed that Babulal Marandi did not want Champai Soren to be taken into the party, rather he should try his best to damage Hemant Soren as much as he can by staying outside.
And that is why Babulal Marandi’s meeting with Prime Minister Modi is being considered very important. In the circumstances under which Modi and Marandi met, it is not possible that Champai Soren was not discussed. Certainly Modi must have tried to know Marandi’s Mann Ki Baat, and must have also expressed his views.
BJP does need Champai Soren, but not by angering Babulal Marandi. Ignoring Babulal Marandi in the Jharkhand elections means making up your mind for a result like UP in the Lok Sabha elections.
BJP also knows that Arjun Munda will have the same feelings as Babulal Marandi – and this is the biggest risk factor of taking Champai Soren into BJP. If BJP does not handle the whole matter properly, then it may have to face consequences.
Source (PTI) (NDTV) (HINDUSTANTIMES)