Man at forefront of stir for Jharkhand tipped to be CM

Feb 01, 2024 05:52 AM IST

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Champai Soren’s nomination was endorsed by the Congress and other partners of grand alliance in Jharkhand, said Rajesh Thakur, chief of Jharkhand Congress

Champai Soren, 68, transport minister in the outgoing chief minister Hemant Soren’s cabinet, popularly known as “Jharkhand Tiger” for his vocal advocacy for a separate state of Jharkhand in the 1990s, will be the new chief minister of the state.

Champai Soren was inducted as minister for the first time by Shibu Soren in 2005 when the latter was the CM for nine days (HT)

Soren was elected as leader of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) legislative party on Wednesday night as arrest of Hemant Soren by the Enforcement Directorate become imminent on Wednesday.

His nomination for the post of the CM was endorsed by the Congress and other partners of grand alliance in Jharkhand, said Rajesh Thakur, chief of Jharkhand Congress.

Born in 1956, Champai is the eldest son of Simal Soren, a farmer from Jilinggoda village in Saraikela-Kharsawan district, and worked in his farms alongside his father before joining JMM supremo Shibu Soren during his drive against local money lenders in tribal dominated Santhal and Dumka regions of the state in early 1990s.

READ | Champai Soren to be next Jharkhand CM after Hemant Soren arrested by ED

“He was known for pushing for the tribal state of Jharkhand during the agitation led by Shibu Soren for a separate state,” said his old associate Shalender Mahato, former Jamshedpur MP and his long-time colleague in JMM.

Jharkhand was carved out of Bihar in 2000 .

A Class 10 pass out from Ramakrishna Mission School in Jamshedpur and father of seven children --- four sons and three daughters --- Champai won for the first time from Saraikela assembly seat in 1992 in a bypoll as an independent MLA. He won again in 1995 on a JMM ticket and had been with the party since.

He had lost from Saraikela assembly seat only once, in 2000. According to an affidavit filed ahead of the 2019 election, his total assets are worth ₹2.28 crore. Champai was inducted as minister for the first time by Shibu Soren in 2005 when the latter was the chief minister for nine days. He served again in two governments headed by Shibu Soren in 2008-09 and 2009-10.

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He was inducted into the cabinet by Hemant Soren when he formed the government in 2019 and was made minister of food and civil supplies and transport .

“He may be academically underqualified but as far as mass movements for tribal welfare are concerned, he was always on the forefront,” Mahato, the former Jamshedpur MP, added.

Mahato said Champai Soren has been awarded for his unflinching loyalty to Shibu Soren and had earned Hemant Soren’s trust as well.

He said although Champai Soren is a popular JMM leader, he is “no threat” to Soren family. Indeed, Hemant Soren has been seen bowing to Champai Soren at times; he considers the latter his uncle, said a senior JMM leader who asked not to be named.