Ranchi: Former Jharkhand Chief Minister and JMM leader Champai Soren has dismissed rumours of him joining the BJP, saying that he was not aware of any such rumours and "he is where he was."
"I don't know what rumours are being spread. I don't know what news is being spread so I cannot tell whether it's true or not, I don't know anything about it...Hum jahan par hain vahi par hain," said Mr Soren during his brief interaction with reporters on Saturday.
Champai Soren had taken oath as the 12th Chief Minister of Jharkhand on February 2 this year. He then resigned from the post of Chief Minister on July 3, a day before JMM executive president Hemant Soren took oath as the 13th chief minister of Jharkhand on July 4.
There has been intense speculation on the future status of Champai Soren, the former Chief Minister who had stepped into the role when Hemant Soren was arrested in connection with an alleged land scam case.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma who is the election co-in charge from the BJP refused to give a firm indication on the speculations. "No one is in touch with us yet. I am also hearing these reports from the channels. Champai Soren is a very senior leader, I do not want to make any informal comment about him," he said.
Last week the BJP held a meeting of all its district heads, the meeting was attended virtually by election in-charge and Union Minister Shivraj Chouhan while Himanta Sarma and state BJP President Babulal Marandi attended in Ranchi.
During the meeting, the BJP chalked out its election strategies. Meanwhile, former Jharkhand BJP President and Rajya Sabha MP Deepak Prakash on Saturday said that the inclusion of Champai Soren in the party depends on the central leadership.
He said, "I have heard this in reports only. I don't have any authentic information... He (Champai Soren) was serving Jharkhand as a good CM... Everything depends on the central leadership".
He further stated that the way Champai Soren was removed from the Chief Minister of the state was a setback.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)