Himanta urges Champai to join BJP

Ahead of the Assembly election in Jharkhand, Assam Chief Minister and co-in charge of the Jharkhand poll campaign for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday urged former Chief Minister Champai Soren to join the BJP. Mr. Sarma’s statement has come at a time when Mr. Champai is in New Delhi and is likely to meet senior leaders of the BJP.

Last week, Mr. Champai had announced that he would float a political party. Mr. Sarma said he has spoken to Mr. Champai several times in the last five to six months. On August 18, Mr. Champai had shared a post on his X handle saying that he was “insulted” while being the Chief Minister.

“I personally want Champai Soren to join BJP and strengthen us. However, he is a senior leader and me commenting on him is not good. If he is in Delhi, he will surely try to speak. I have spoken to him directly and indirectly several times but never had political talks. However, the time has come to speak politics with him,” Mr. Sarma said in Ranchi before boarding a flight to New Delhi.