Champai Soren has since clarified the video’s misleading nature.
The Verdict: False
An old video of Champai Soren praising Hemant Soren, recorded before his switch to the BJP, is falsely claimed to show his intent to rejoin the JMM.
What’s the claim?
A video of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Champai Soren praising Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader and Chief Minister Hemant Soren is being shared online, with claims that he intends to rejoin the JMM.
Champai Soren, who joined the BJP in August 2024, recently won the Seraikela seat in the Jharkhand Assembly elections-his seventh victory in the constituency. The circulating video, allegedly showing him lauding Hemant Soren, was shared widely on social media, sparking speculation about his potential return to the JMM.
In the clip, Soren, dressed in a light grey suit and black shirt, is seen speaking at what appears to be a media interaction. The video, bearing the ANI logo, records him saying in Hindi (translated), “We will participate in Rahul Gandhi’s Nyay Yatra.” Responding to a query about Hemant Soren, he praises him as the leader of their party and commends his developmental work in Jharkhand.
On December 1, 2024, an X user shared the video with the caption: “MASSIVE BREAKING: Champai Soren now wants to return home to JMM. Earlier, he left JMM and joined BJP, and now he wants to return to JMM. Burnool Moment for Sanghis.” Archives versions of the posts can be found here, here, and here.
The video, however, dates back to February 2, 2024, when Soren was addressing the media as a member of the JMM. He later resigned from the party on August 28, 2024, and officially joined the BJP two days later, on August 30.
What did we find
A reverse image search confirmed that ANI originally posted the video (archived here) on February 2, 2024. At the time, Soren was a JMM member and served briefly as Jharkhand’s chief minister after Hemant Soren was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate.
Citing dissatisfaction with the JMM’s policies and functioning, Soren resigned from the party on August 28, 2024. On the same day, he posted on X (archived here) in Hindi (translated), “Today, I have resigned from the primary membership and all posts of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha. Our struggle for the rights of tribals, natives, Dalits, backward people, and the common citizens of Jharkhand will continue.”
On August 30, 2024, Soren officially joined the BJP during a high-profile ceremony in Ranchi. The event was attended by prominent BJP leaders, including Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, and Jharkhand BJP President Babulal Marandi. Soren later shared images from the ceremony on X (archived here).
Thus, the viral video predates Soren’s transition to the BJP in August 2024 and does not reflect any recent statements made by him.
Soren debunks rumors
Soren has since clarified the video’s misleading nature. Addressing the rumors on X (archived here) in December 2024, he stated (translated from Hindi): “Some misleading rumours are being spread about me on social media as part of an agenda by making an old video viral. This was done at the time of elections also. Please avoid such false rumours.”
The verdict
The viral video of Champai Soren praising Hemant Soren is outdated and unrelated to current events. It was recorded in February 2024, months before Champai left the JMM for the BJP. He has publicly denied claims of returning to the JMM, reaffirming his allegiance to the BJP.
(This story was originally published by Logically Facts, and republished by The Hindkesharias part of the Shakti Collective)