Manjhi shares Champai Soren’s pain, a day after ‘welcoming’ him into NDA family

New Delhi, Aug 19 (IANS) Amid suspense over ‘sidelined’ Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader Champai Soren’s next move, Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Monday sought to express solidarity with him and said that the treatment meted out to popular tribal leader by his own party is unacceptable and goes against the accepted norms of democracy.

The Hindustani Awami Morcha (HAM) chief said that many leaders including him were saddened over the ‘affront and insult’ that Champai Soren was subjected to, despite being Jharkhand Chief Minister for seven months.

Manjhi said, "When someone is given respect, elevated to certain position and then suddenly removed, it is disheartening. Champai Soren served as CM for seven months, performed well in Jharkhand, and followed in the footsteps of Hemant Soren. It never seemed like he was acting against the party. After Hemant Soren was released from jail, he was shown the door without any reason."

"If Champai Soren feels hurt in this situation, it is understandable, and we share his pain. Such actions should not occur in a democracy," he added.

Manjhi’s show of support for Champai Soren assumes importance in light of the fact that he ‘welcomed’ him into the NDA fold, on Sunday evening.

As Champai Soren’s unplanned visit to Delhi on Sunday triggered speculations of his switchover to BJP, the HAM chief wrote on X, "Champai da, you were a tiger, you are a tiger and you will remain a tiger. Welcome to the NDA family. Johar Tiger."

Champai Soren, once a close confidante of Hemant Soren, on Sunday wrote a detailed account of his humiliation and attempts to belittle the CM’s chair by the party leadership, while he was at the helm. He also voiced strong dissatisfaction over his forced and ignominious exit to pave the way for Hemant Soren’s anointment after his release from jail and also hinted at quitting the party.

“Since then to the day when Jharkhand goes to polls, all three options will remain open before me - retiring from politics, floating a new outfit or uniting with an ally with similar interests,” Champai Soren said.

Jitan Ram Manjhi also lambasted the INDIA bloc over opposition to the lateral entry scheme in bureaucracy and deflated their ‘hollow’ claims of conspiracy against SCs, STs and OBCs.

Citing his own example, he said, “I come from Scheduled Caste community in Bihar. Prime Minister Narendra Modi included me in his cabinet and entrusted me with the Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises.”

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