'I had mentioned...': Champai Soren likely to float new party amid rift with JMM

Amid the reports of his rift with the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) in Jharkhand, former state Chief Minister Champai Soren on Wednesday, i.e., August 21, revealed his plans to float a new political party. 

"I had mentioned three options - retirement, organisation, or friend. I will not retire; I will strengthen the party, a new party, and if I meet a good friend on the way, then will move ahead with them," Hindustan Times has quoted Soren as saying. 

When reminded that Jharkhand will go into polls soon and that he has not much time to form a new party, he said, "That is not your problem", adding that when 30,000-40,000 workers can arrive within a day, he won't face any problems floating a new party, reported the newspaper. 

Champai Soren's decision follows a period of, what he described as 'bitter humiliation', during his tenure as the CM. Earlier, he had hinted at his growing dissatisfaction with the party. 

In a post on 'X', Soren wrote, "After so much humiliation, I was forced to look for an alternative path". 

Hinting at the possibility of forming a new political outfit, he continued, "I had three options. First to retire from politics, second to float a separate outfit, and third, if I find any ally, to carry forward with them. From that day till today, and till the upcoming Jharkhand Assembly elections, all options are open for me in this journey". 

Notably, the former chief minister had assumed office on February 2, following the resignation and subsequent arrest of then-CM and JMM's executive president Hemant Soren in an alleged money-laundering case. However, he had to resign from his post after Hemant Soren got released on a bail. At that time too, there were reports of Champai Soren being dissapointed with the party's top leadership, after reportedly being 'sidelined'. 

Meanwhile, there were speculations of the former Chief Minister jumping ship to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). On Sunday, he arrived in Delhi, fueling the speculations. 

Jharkhand BJP Chief Babulal Marandi later clarified that no discussions had taken place with Champai Soren regarding his switch to the party. 

"No talk was held yet with Champai Soren. He is a seasoned politician and has been part of the separate Jharkhand movement. He will himself decide his own path," Hindustan Times has quoted Marandi as saying.