Champai Soren

Champai Soren (born 1 November 1956) is an Indian politician who served as the 7th Chief Minister of Jharkhand from 2 February 2024 to 3 July 2024 after the arrest of former Chief Minister Hemant Soren by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on allegations of money laundering.

Early life and education

Soren was born in Jilinggora village in Seraikela-Kharsawan district. He is a tribal leader and his father Simal Soren is a farmer. He studied till Grade 10 in a government school before entering politics. He has seven children.

Career

Soren is a seven-time MLA. He was first elected from Seraikella in 1991 and served two-terms in the Bihar Legislative Assembly till 2000. During the separate Jharkhand state movement, he became a member of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM). Before joining JMM, he served as an independent MLA. Later, he represented Seraikella assembly constituency in the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly continuously for four terms from 2005 to 2024.

He served as the Cabinet Minister of Transport, Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Caste & Backward class welfare, Government of Jharkhand in the cabinet of 2nd Hemant Soren ministry from 2019 to 2024. In a sudden turn of events after former CM Hemant Soren was arrested, he was made the Chief Minister on 2 February 2024.

Soren is also known as the "Jharkhand's Tiger", as he played a crucial role in the fight for the creation of a separate state in the 1990s.

Positions held